The Lion's Den
by ArtemisPsyche
Summary: Bella has been promised to her Uncle, the Emperor of Rome, however the only one who awakens her heart and her passion is a bronze haired gladiator named Edoard. If they are discovered they will be thrown to the lions. Can love survive? AH & AU, lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** First, I do not own the Twilight saga or any of its characters, although I did change their names around to fit the story… It just kinda made more sense… Yeah, you'll understand eventually… Second, I am not claiming to be an expert in history. I am fascinated by it, and I've researched as much as I could before starting this story, however not everything is going to be 100% accurate. Especially when I have twenty different websites telling me 20 different things…. That's right _Wikipedia_! I'm talking about YOU! *points and gives the stink-eye*

_A/N: Anyway, hello! I hope you enjoy the story… I tried my hardest to edit it because I don't actually have a Beta *chuckles nervously*, uhh… yeah. Enjoy! *grins awkwardly and party rock shuffles away*_

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The sun was not yet high enough in the sky to turn the day hot when I finally opened my eyes to the world. The cool cotton sheets were wrapped tightly around my body from a night of restlessness and I had to take a moment to work myself out of the knot I had made. The chemise did not keep the soft breeze away from my body as it came in through the opening to the terrace however it felt wonderful on my over-heated body.

It was no mystery as to why I had been so discontented during the night, but I refused to ruin my day so early on with the morbid thoughts of my future.

I drew my body up and sat on the edge of my bed as a knock sounded on my door.

Right on time.

"You may enter," I called softly, my voice still thick from sleeping.

Into my room came my two hand-maids. As the daughter of the younger brother to the Emperor, I was used to the help. Our family had never been through hard times and to put it simply, there was never a short supply of bread on the table.

"Good morning, Isabella, are you ready to dress?" asked one of the handmaids. She had a pretty face framed by blonde hair. I nodded and stood from my bed, lifting my arms above my head. The maid stepped forward and slipped the chemise off over my head while the other girl walked over to the chest made of dark wood that contained my clothes. The girl pulled out a new band of cloth and a fresh stola that was the same color as the sea with golden embroidery around the hem. She crossed the room to me and helped tied the band around my breasts, making sure that they were securely held in place then helped to put the stola over my body.

While she had been doing this the pretty-faced maid waited by the vanity sitting by the entrance to the terrace. I crossed the room at my own leisure and sat down on the silk wrapped stool. My reflection in the polished metal was that of someone who had clearly not gotten the proper amount of sleep that night. The blonde maid wasted no time in brushing out my hair and beginning to pin it up on my head.

I watched her absently, slightly bothered by the fact that I could never arrange my hair in such an artful way. Having grown up with only my father I had missed out on certain experiences that only a mother could provide. I had watched how my cousins interacted with their mother and found myself jealous with them for having a separate wisdom to confide in throughout their lives.

But I should not be complaining. The Gods have blessed me with a good life. A father who loves me and a good home with beautiful hanging gardens that I loved to sit in during the morning when the heat was still bearable.

After a good while my hair was finished and completely pinned up on the top of my head, held into place with pearl encrusted pins. I examined it for a moment and found not one hair out of place. I smiled delicately at the two young women.

"Thank you," I said to them softly, my voice much steadier now, "You may continue with your other duties."

They both nodded to me and left the room almost silently.

After they had gone I crossed the room to the table that lay beside my bed. Upon it was the small box made of dark wood that had once been my mother's. It now held all of her old jewelry and the new pieces I had collected since I was little. Opening it I pulled out a simple golden necklace and three golden bracelets with pearls lining them. The necklace had been my mothers, the bracelets a gift from my Uncle Marcus, and my Aunt Violetta for my seventeenth anniversary.

From the box I also pulled out a small, worn down square of amber that I had bought at the beginning of the summer season. Its surface was smooth from my hands rubbing against it and from rubbing it onto my skin to give it a slight perfume. I usually carried it with me on my excursions into the city. One never knew what kind of awful stench they would walk into.

Satisfied with myself for the day I pulled on the simple leather sandals that sat by the chest holding my clothes. I walked out of my room, watching as a new maid made her way inside to clean up the bed and do anything else that needed to be done.

As I walked through the hallway my sandals slapped softly against the marble floor. The breeze from the atrium wafted through the hall empty hall. I walked into the dining room to find my father speaking with one of the servants. His face was tight and looked slightly gray in pallor.

I tried not to make much noise as I approached however he stopped speaking with the servant who scuffled away quickly, most likely relieved to be released from my father's stare.

My father, Caius Volturi used to be a generous and strong man. Since my mother, Elena's death eighteen years ago, he has not been himself, but rather a shell of the man he had once be. That is what others who had known him the longest had told me. His dark brown hair had gone completely gray and his shoulders slightly caved in on themselves. When you looked in his gray eyes you could see that he was not truly happy, he was resigned to the fact that he would live out the rest of his life without truly knowing contentment.

"Good morning, Isabella. How did you sleep?" he asked me in a guilty manner. He knew that I was still angry with him. For some reason that made me a bit happier, he deserved to know I was angry with him. He sat down at the head of the long oak table that occupied the middle of the room while I sat on his right.

Thinking back to my restless night I gave him a halfhearted shrug. Considering the reason for my discomfort had come from the news he had delivered to me early last night I did not quite feel like speaking with him.

"Well enough, I was thinking of going to the temple to visit with my dear cousins. I have not seen them in quite some time," I spoke, the last part more for my own thoughts than my father's.

"As long as you are back before noontime, the Emperor has invited us to watch the games this afternoon, it should be a great spectacle," he replied to me and I grimaced and withheld a shudder.

I had been to the games only thrice in my life and not once had I enjoyed myself. The thought of men killing each other for prize money, whether they were convicted criminals or not, made me feel sick to the core. I had watched blood be spilt upon the sand within the arena and men fall to their knees begging for their lives only to be brutally killed when the Emperor gave the signal. While it was the crowd who shouted to either kill or spare the man in question, the Emperor was always the one with the final word.

"I will be sure to make it home with time to spare before we depart," I said as a reply. He nodded to me silently and then we both began to eat in silence. The dried fruit was drizzled with honey, as was the fresh bread that had been set upon the table. I filled my plate with some of each and was sure to eat every last piece. Honey was not uncommon, but it was one of my favorites, ever since I had been younger.

My father finished before I had and he gave me a chaste kiss upon my hair before excusing himself from the room. I stood from my seat and adjusted the material on my body before I made my way to the atrium.

In the middle of the room was a rectangular pond filled with crystal water. A few small fish swam within it, not to be disturbed by the heat that was already pouring in from the open ceiling. I continued through the atrium and then out through the front archway. I walked through the door and into the full light from the warm sun.

The weather had been gradually getting warmer due to the changing of the seasons however there had been no break in the past few days. Apollo had apparently been angered by somebody.

I walked the path I had memorized down the steps that led into my house and out of the small courtyard taking a left once I was in the street. We lived not far from the Forum and the voices were already raised high above the dust that gathered from all the feet in the dusty streets. Voices yelling out prices of fruit, and pottery, and jewelry all mingled together with the countering voices bargaining with the prices. Thankfully I had not brought any money with me this morning otherwise I surely would have spent it all. The Forum was so colorful and lively, it was hard not to lose oneself inside of it.

I smiled at the vendors who tried to sell me their wares and gently declined them as I continued through the streets until I could finally see the domed roof of the temple of Vesta.

I continued up the marble steps that most other people passed by hastily on their way to the market. Inside I could see several girls all dressed in white gossamer tunics that touched the ground, their shoulders covered by the white veils adorning their heads. In the center of the temple sat a raised platform with the eternal flame burning brightly in the center of the small basin.

It was the duty of the Vestal Virgins to keep the flame burning, for it was wide spread that as long as the flame continued to blaze Rome would prevail. Vesta was the Goddess of the hearth and also the Roman State. I kneeled down on the polished marble floor and offered a small prayer to her to keep this wonderful city prosperous then brought myself back up to full height, scanning the rest of the temple.

Within only moments I spotted two girls standing with their backs facing me in another corner of the temple. Both were small and slight in build and were connected by their intertwined hands. I smiled to myself at the sight of my cousins. They had never been separated once. I stepped up to them just as they turned around.

A smile graced my cousin, Alice's face as she saw me, a similar one adorning her twin's face.

"Isabella! What a lovely surprise, I've missed you so!" Alice let go of her twin's hand briefly to envelope me in a warm hug. I then turned to Celia and brought her into my arms. Although all of the women in our family were petite in stature, both of my cousins were so delicate looking. I wondered for a moment if they had been eating enough lately.

The both of them had their mother's soft black hair and exotic features, since she had come from Egypt. However while Alice had her mother's interesting indigo colored eyes, Celia's eyes were a cloudy blue color with the curse of darkness. She had been born without her sight, however she continually told others that she could see perfectly well through her twin's mind. Nobody ever believed them however I didn't have the heart to tell them to stop telling tall tales.

They were both three years younger than I, only fifteen years of age. They were the youngest to be accepted into the temple as tenders to the eternal flame when they were only thirteen years of age. I had been confused at first by their decision, but both of the girls had assured their family and me that this decision was what the Gods wanted. Their lives would be best served this way.

"Come, let us sit for a moment," Alice said as she joined her hand with her sisters again and began walking over to a small marble bench to the side of the temple. We all sat upon it, putting our hands together and resting them in Celia's lap since she was between both Alice and I.

"What news do you have, cousin?" Celia asked softly, her brow furrowing as if she sensed that something was wrong.

I drew in a deep breath and gathered all of my thoughts together. All of the words my father had told me last night. He spoke of the benefit of Rome and the strength of the family. Certain matters that certainly not be resting upon my shoulders. Alice's hand squeezed mine gently as her eyes searched my face.

"My father has promised me to the Emperor. Our uncle," I whispered to my young cousins quietly. Alice could not contain her gasp as her indigo eyes widened as she stared at me. Suddenly my throat felt very constricted and the small sting of tears pricked at my eyes.

"How can that be possible? He is almost forty years your senior," Alice said slowly and I looked away, not knowing the answer myself. My father had only offered me the limited explanation of telling me how I would be an Empress that Rome could be proud of. I was beautiful, and witty, and intelligent. All things that people told me all the time, but I had no actual interest in. Yes, it was nice to have those attributes, but what was it worth if my happiness was stolen from me?

"I do not know what to do. I do not want this. My father says that it will secure the survival of the family. It creates a stronger bond, but I do not love him. You know as well as I do that our Uncle is a callous and corrupt man. I can barely stand to be in the same room with him for dinner, I could not handle to be married to him!" I exclaimed in a hushed tone so that the other ladies in the temple would not listen in, however I was sure the tears on my face would create curiosity just as quickly.

"Shh, dear Isabella, everything will be alright," Celia whispered to me and I shook my head in reply.

"No, no it will not. I cannot marry him. I wanted to marry for love, what of my happiness? Am I supposed to give it up for the rest of my days?" I asked in a slightly hysterical voice. Alice's demeanor suddenly shifted and she gave me a stiff look.

"Do not ever tell me you are giving up your happiness. There must be a way to salvage this situation, I'm sure of it. Let me sleep tonight and I shall tell you what I see. I have a feeling that all hope is not lost, and tell me, have I ever gone wrong with my feelings?" she asked me with a slight smile, reaching up with her free hand to wipe away the tears that had fallen down my cheeks. I shook my head, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

Alice had always had an uncanny ability to sense things in the future. She was usually never wrong about something once she gathered a strong feeling about it.

When I had finally calmed myself down, I felt embarrassed about my outburst. Traditionally I was much better at withholding my emotions until I was alone. Alice patted my hand while Celia gave me a small smile however it quickly turned to a frown.

"You must tell her, Alice," Celia said quietly and I raised my eyebrows.

"Tell me what?" I asked quickly, not letting the comment pass by. Alice looked slightly unsure as she bit her bottom lip and looked down at her lap. Her free hand picked at the gossamer tunic.

"I've been having violent dreams lately… All of them have involved members of our family. First it was only our Uncle the Emperor, and then it continued on to your father and our parents. Last night was the first time you appeared. I woke with a cold sweat covering my body. Isabella, the dreams… they were not the normal ones I've had… they all involved violent ends to the lives of those in our families. _Very violent. _I don't know what to make of them as of now, but I am cautioning you to be careful in the future. The temple walls protect Celia and myself, but you must take care to not put yourself in dangerous situations," she gave me a grim look, "I have a feeling that certain members in our family will be dining with Pluto in the underworld much sooner than any of us have anticipated."

I could do nothing but stare at Alice. A shiver ran down my spine as her words replayed in my head once more. Even my own thoughts ran through my head again.

_Alice was never usually wrong about something once she gathered a strong feeling about it. _

I now wished that she had not spoken to me about any of this at all. It left me with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"What are your plans for the rest of the afternoon?" Celia asked as Alice looked at the other ladies laying delicate twigs onto the fire.

I scrunched up my nose in distaste as I recalled my plans, "I am required to attend the games with my father and our Uncle."

"Oh, how can you stand to watch those games? They are barbaric," Alice frowned in disgust.

"That is exactly why they are popular, sister," Celia replied with a slight smirk.

"Indeed. Will Delos and Rosalia be joining you? I have not seen them in such a long time," Alice commented, ignoring her sister's remark.

"I'm not sure, however having Rosalia with me would certainly make it more bearable," I replied.

Delos and Rosalia had been married for almost two years now, and they were as close to our family as Alice and Celia were. Delos had been my best friend as a child, and our fathers had also known each other since they were young men. He had gone everywhere with me and had taught me a thing or two about handling a wooden sword and we had spent hours running through the streets of the Forum and the market place, but never in the Subura. That was forbidden.

"Isabella, we must tend to the fire again, but you must come back soon and tell us of your life. We cannot stand not to hear from you for so long," Alice said as she rose from her seat. I nodded to her and embraced her and Celia once again.

"I promise to be back again soon," I told them and they both smiled at me before I turned and walked back out of the temple into the afternoon heat. The market had cleared out a small bit and I was able to make it back to the house without trouble aside from the harassment of the same vendors I had passed earlier.

As I entered the house I found my father in the atrium speaking with a tall man with light brown hair and a petite woman with long blonde hair.

"Delos, you're early!" I called with a smile. My childhood turned and his tawny eyes landed on mine, a smile on his face. I hastened my steps to him and we hugged briefly before I turned to a smiling Rosalia and embraced her as well.

"I'm so glad you are joining us," I said to them both with a pointed look. Rosalia stifled her giggle behind her hand and Delos hid his small cough and a smirk, "Why are you here so early?"

"We were invited by your father for lunch before the games," Rosalia smiled at me, which I returned. Since her marriage to Delos we had become almost like sisters. She was older than me by four years, and she we well versed in the knowledge of men. We were no strangers to the courtyards in both of our homes and I was positive that the Gods knew all of our secrets that we had whispered during out times together.

My father led everyone into the dining room. He sat at the head and I took the seat to the left of him while Delos sat across from me and Rosalia on my side.

Immediately our lunch was served to us. It consisted of a bottle of wine, a large mixture of salads, and a plate of freshly baked bread with a bowl of olive oil for dipping in. We all served ourselves, the men talking excitedly of what they might see today at the arena while Rosalia and I ate in a comfortable silence.

Finally she whispered under her breath, "Delos and I have spoken of having a child," she said to me.

I dropped the dining utensil in my hand with a clatter. Both my father and Delos looked at me questioningly while Rosalie pushed her food around her plate.

"I'm sorry, I swallowed something oddly," I lied, hopefully convincingly. To prove my point I reached for my cup of wine and took a small sip. This seemed to ward off anymore questions and they both returned to their previous topic. I picked up the fork again and began to eat as if nothing had happened.

"When?" I whispered under my breath, breaking off a piece of bread at the same time.

"Last night. It did not end well. Delos stormed out last night and did not return until the sun had almost risen. I cried for so long I'm sure I have no more tears left," she whispered to me in a slightly broken voice.

I frowned at my food. I did not understand Delos's point with this.

Rosalia was a beautiful woman. Many men in Rome had wanted to marry her, or at least have the chance to court her. She was a naturally maternal person and I knew that if she had a child, she would be the happiest woman that had ever lived, and yet, Delos had firmly made his opinion known that he did not care for a child. Even one that might carry on his name.

I thought perhaps he was afraid of what taking care of a child might entail, but I have also seen him interact with my cousins when they had only been three years of age, and he had been splendid with them. It just did not make any sense to me.

"Do not dwell on it for now. Just enjoy today… If that is at all possible," I muttered under my breath. Rosalia gave a delicate shudder at the idea of the games. She hated them almost as much as I did.

"I do wish I could just stay home," she murmured. I nodded in agreement and then finished the lunch. Eventually everyone was finished and my father spoke up.

"We should start to move, the crowds will be thicker if we wait too long," he said, eyeing me carefully. If he believed for a moment that I had accepted what he had told me, he was certainly mistaken.

Delos walked with my father in the front and Rosalia's arm looped through mine as we fell into step beside each other.

On our walk back down the streets we talked of little things. Nothing of consequence could be spoken out of fear that others might over hear it in the street and spread it as rumors. It was better to speak of newly purchased dresses and the unfavorable weather.

Just as my father said, the crowds were thick and loud as we approached the enormous amphitheater. Dread was beginning to build in my stomach and I felt that I might be physically ill if I had to sit and watch one man be slaughtered by another.

Together we made our way through the throng of people and in through one of the archways into the giant structure. People had already found their seats and thousands of voices floated on the air and sounded like a giant humming. I held tight to Rosalia's arm as we walked to the Emperor's podium. I could clearly see that my Uncle had already been seated and as we got closer I could see that he was dressed in a scarlet colored robe, a golden circlet around his head. My heart seemed to be beating in my throat and Rosalia gently patted my arm in reassurance.

The podium was decorated with a silk covered golden chair for the Emperor whom we all bowed to upon arrival. My uncle's eyes remained on my face for a little while longer than the others. While two of his servants fanned him with large fans made of ostrich feathers he turned to his brother.

"Caius, so wonderful you could make it. And you, Isabella, you are looking as lovely as ever," he said to me and I could not help but feel a lump in my throat. I felt the need to run away and hide from his penetrating gaze.

"Thank you, Uncle Aro, for the invitation today," I managed to choke out the words out of courtesy of speaking to him. He nods in acknowledgement and then spots something over my shoulder and his face breaks into a wide grin. I turn slightly and look over my shoulder only to wish that I hadn't.

Standing behind me was Michelangelo and Tonina. Michelangelo had known my uncle Aro for quite some time, and likes to brag about the fact that he has become the Emperor's most trusted confident. He was a power hungry man, just like my Uncle, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was trying to overthrow him. His wife, Tonina was beautiful. Anyone would be a fool not to think so. She had long hair that was a reddish gold in color, the same that some women tried to achieve through dyeing their hair. Her features were delicate and her body was slim and curved, however her heart was uglier than any I had ever encountered. She was a vain, horrid creature who wanted nothing more than the money and power of a high ranking title.

For the past few months she had been seducing the Emperor. Rumors around the Forum told that she was trying to become pregnant with her child. Everyone knew that the Emperor would have to marry her out of wedlock and take the child in. And while this would solve my problem of becoming my Uncles bride, it would also mean that Tonina would become the Empress, and nothing could be worse than that.

"Dear Emperor, Aro! How good to see you again, everything is going well I trust?" Michelangelo asked with a slightly secret smile for his friend. Aro nodded.

"Yes, everything is calm for the time being. Tonina, you're looking as ravishing as ever, how have you been, darling?" he asked, not hiding the way his eyes roamed over the woman's body shamelessly. I looked away to hide my blush.

"I have been terribly lonely, Aro," Tonina pouted while her oblivious husband smiled at the Emperor like an idiot, "I had hoped you would throw another feast in the near future? I do love feasts."

"Then it seems that we will be having a feast extremely soon," Aro smiled at Tonina who grinned as if she had just won a crown. Perhaps, in a way, she had. Suddenly she seemed to notice that we had been standing next to her.

"Oh, Isabella, I did not see you there. What brings you here today?" she asked, although her tone clearly let me see that she did not care to hear the answer.

"My uncle graciously invited us to join him," I replied, knowing that all eyes were now upon me. It would not do well to tell her not to pry into business that did not concern her.

"Isn't that wonderful, you are so generous, Aro," she smiled at the Emperor again who gave her a nod, "I hope we may see more of each other, Isabella. I would truly enjoy the chance to become more than just passing acquaintances."

I had nothing to say to her. She had known me since I was only a little girl. Surely she had had opportunities to become better known to me in all that time.

"What a splendid idea! Isabella, Tonina would be an excellent friend for you," Aro decided to step in at that moment. Apparently, I was wrong.

"Yes… Excellent," I murmured, trying to give my uncle a smile. I was positive that it looked nothing like a smile. There was a beat of silence as everyone soaked up the previous conversation.

"Let's take our seats, Isabella," Rosalia whispered into my ear. I nodded, in a somewhat dazed state of mind as she led me over to our seats that were directly next to the Emperor's podium. I had a full view of the sand filled arena that was almost twenty feet below us. We were given a limited amount of shade due to the overhang above the Emperor's chair that intruded into our section, but we were certainly not complaining.

I was about to ask Rosalia how she had been, for the last time we had talked she spoke of possibly being with child when suddenly the blare of trumpets invaded the air. The ground beneath my feet shook with the roaring of the crowd in the arena.

From out behind a tall gate came two lines of at least twenty five men, their heads encased with shining helmets. The crowd raged around the stadium at the sight of their gladiators, but I could not fight down the ill feeling in my stomach.

The men all walked toward the podium that I sat next to, their heads held straight as they walked straight toward their death. When they had reached the center of the arena they turned toward my Uncle and all spoke in unison.

_"We who are about to die salute you."_

The words were met with the approval of the crowd however an icy shiver ran down my back. These men were about to die, murdered in front of all these people. Condemned for crimes that have not been properly justified, or perhaps they have. The death of these men were about to be celebrated. They were about to be met with the cheering of a crowd, waiting in earnest to see their blood be spilt upon the sand.

I have never before felt more disgusted with the people of Rome.

The Emperor stood up and nodded to the gladiators who stood below him. The trumpets began to play again and I knew that the games were about to begin.

I was startled when I felt Rosalia's hand grasp onto mine. I looked to her curiously.

"You are not the only one who despises certain customs of Rome," she whispered to me, almost silent. For some reason I took comfort in her words. I knew that I wasn't alone in thinking that the sport of men killing each other was barbaric.

The first to come out and fight were the Bestiarus, the gladiators that willingly fought against exotic animals.

The first man stepped out into the stadium just as a large cat was let loose from the other side of the stadium. The cat looked extremely angry as its hackles rose and it growled menacingly. The bestiarii hesitated, and then attacked with full force, his spear trying to jab at any flesh it could reach. I jumped as the cat pounced upon the man within only a minute.

The shouting in the arena was deafening as the lifeless body of the man lay underneath the cat that continued to tear at his body with its sharp claws. The sand now had a scarlet puddle lying on it. It was the first of many.

Over the course of the next hour, four more men had died at the claws of a great beast. As another man approached an enormous, gray skinned animal with a horn on top of its nose I turned to Rosalia.

"I feel so horribly for the animals," I told her. Delos clearly had overheard and let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, Isabella you are so amusing. You have been watching men die because of these beasts and yet you still take their side?" he asked me with a curious look. I merely shrugged and reached up to push a wayward strand of dark hair out of my face.

"Those men already knew they were going to die. Those animals have no idea what is going on. They are probably scared, and confused, and they are only acting out of instincts!" I countered against him. He gave me another odd look and then shook his head, settling back into his seat. I thought I heard him mutter something about the softness of a woman's heart. I huffed and settled into my own seat, averting my eyes just as the gladiator's spear lodged itself in the side of the animal.

Finally the animals were put back into their cages and eight or nine men stumbled out of the gate and into the arena, all very slight of build with neither anything in their hands to defend themselves nor any padding on their body. Surely my face could betray the horror I felt. Delos quickly leaned towards us and whispered, "They are only noxii, the slaves that have been condemned to die today. They aren't here to fight."

"And yet they are still going to die," I cut him off harshly. Delos did not look surprised by my comment and merely shrugged.

Suddenly the gates opened again and two horses stormed out into the arena. Their riders held spears aloft in their hands.

"This is so horrible," I whispered with wide eyes as the slaves all cowered together, trying to protect themselves. The men on the horses were obviously gladiators and they herded the slaves into a tight ball within only seconds.

The first man threw the spear and immediately killed one of the slaves. My heart began to pound in my ears as the rumble of the crowd grew larger and larger. It took only moments for the men on the horses to kill off all of the slaves, their bodies lying on the sand in pools of their own blood and the blood of others mixed together. Bile rose in my throat and I had to fight with the urge to purge my stomach of its contents.

The gladiators disappeared and the other slaves hurried into the arena to gather all of the bodies of the fallen me.

"I hope there will be an actual fight soon, these matches are horridly boring to watch," Delos sighed as he watched the bodies be dragged away. His wife looked at him sternly, however said nothing about it. Delos was just like any other citizen of Rome. Always ready to watch the spilling of another man's blood and murder as long as it turned out to be an interesting duel.

"Ah, here we go. A Dimachaerus against a Murmillo, this should be interesting enough," Delos said with a grin as he leaned forward to get a better look. I turned my eyes away from his gleeful face and stared down into the arena, only to lose all of my breath.

The Dimachaerus, held both of his swords aloft in a ready position, however he had minimal padding on only his forearms and shins, his tanned chest was left bare. From my spot I could see the shine that his sweat left, and most curious of all, I could see his hair. It was the strangest color I had ever seen. It shone under the high noon sunlight and was the exact color of polished bronze. My hands twitched slightly and the urge to touch the shining hair swelled within me.

Where on earth had that feeling come from? It was totally ridiculous.

I gathered my bearings again and watched the other gladiator, the Murmillo, step towards the bronze haired man. The Murmillo was more heavily armed and his helmet obscured his face from the word. Without warning, the two gladiators lunged at each other, the harsh sound of metal scraping and clanging against each other was drowned out by the roaring approval of the crowd.

My heart leapt into my throat without warning as I watched the two men attack each other in earnest. The bronze haired man had two swords on his side, but his opponent was clearly better armed. The swords crashed against each other, suddenly the Murmillo's sword nicked the bronze haired man's arm however this only seemed to make the bronze haired man attack more fiercely.

His blows to the other man were strong and knocked the Murmillo back a few paces with each clash. I found myself leaning forward to the edge of the balcony, my eyes locked on the scene in front of me. When the Murmillo suddenly gathered his strength he placed a well aimed kick on the Dimachaerus's chest and sent the bronze haired man to the sandy ground. I felt my breath leave my chest with a whoosh and I could not help but stand up to watch.

The bronze haired man quickly turned over to avoid the strike of the Murmillo's blade, and spun his legs in a way that tripped the Murmillo from behind, sending him to the ground also. The crowd cheered loudly, but the only thing I could hear was the beating of my heart. I watched as the bronze haired man quickly stood and then, without mercy, plunged one of his swords into the Murmillo's chest. I gasped and started at the vicious display, but I could not stop myself from feeling relieved for some reason.

What was happening to me? I should feel disgusted by what that man had just done!

And yet, I could not bring myself to feel that way. I was comforted by the fact that the bronze haired man was the one that the crowd was cheering for.

"_That _is how a gladiator should fight! Fantastic! Absolutely amazing," Delos stood up and began to shout as the rest of the crowd was. I felt my legs stand me up and I rested my palms on the balcony railing. I stared at the bronze haired man who neither waved at the crowd nor made any moves to collect his winnings that were being offered to him.

He only turned toward the Emperor's podium and bowed in respect. I watched my uncle Aro nod in acknowledgement, although I was positive that the bronze haired man could not see it from his spot. Without another glance, the bronze haired man walked back towards the gates, both of his swords hanging in his hands. From my spot I could not help but admire the broad expanse of his shoulders and the definition of the muscles of his arms.

"See something you like, my dear?" Rosalia teased me from her seat, seemingly unfazed by the bronze haired man's performance.

"Of course not," I said hastily as I gave her a pointed look, thankfully neither her husband, nor my father had heard the comment. I turned my eyes back to the arena however the bronze haired man had disappeared into the shadows that lay beyond the gate. As the crowd settled I sat back into my seat and new gladiators were brought out into the sunlight, but I could not focus on them at all.

My mind was still preoccupied with the bronze haired gladiator. I could picture how the lean muscles in his arms and back would move, or how his bronze hair would become disarray in the wind during the summer. I shook my head to clear it.

These were foolish thoughts. A gladiator was no better than a criminal. I should not delude myself into thinking that I would ever see the bronze haired man as anything but a murderer in the arena.

Besides, he's probably ugly. Oh yes… He most definitely had an unsightly face. And his mind was sure to only be full of thoughts of murder and blood.

Not even a shiver went through my body. Even _I _didn't believe my words, but there was no reason not to.

"Are you feeling alright, Isabella?" my father's worried voice broke through my haze. My wide eyes met his and I shook my head with a jerk.

"No, just a bit shocked with the brutality of it all," I murmured quietly. I could see a knowing look upon Rosalia's. I ignored it expertly.

"Perhaps we should leave early? You are looking flushed," my father continued while his brow pulled together.

"No!" I cried out hastily. Everybody gave me a curious look. I bit my lip and scrambled to cover up, "It would be disrespectful to Uncle Aro if we left early. I was very generous of him to offer seats in his box today. We couldn't let those go to waste," I quickly spoke. This seemed to appease everyone, and the men melted back into watching the fighting.

Rosalia searched my face.

"Yes?" I asked slowly. She shook her head.

"Nothing, my only suggestion is that you try not to be so obvious with your ogling," she smirked at me. I rolled my eyes at her comment. I was most definitely _not _ogling… Perhaps only a little bit. Either way, I suddenly found myself content to sit in the seats in the heat of the afternoon if it meant that I might catch another glimpse at the bronze haired fighter.

The day continued and I was slowly losing the hope that I would see the Dimachaerus with bronze hair again. I slouched in my seat, my hands rubbing absently along the material of my sola. My hair had fallen out of its intricate design and more than half of the strands were hanging around my face in gentle curls. The crowd began to cheer loudly again and I rolled my eyes at them. Didn't they ever get tired of cheering for death?

Rosalia tapped my arm frantically.

"Isabella, look," she whispered urgently. I sat up straight again and felt my heart swell in my chest as my eyes locked on the same head of bronze hair. My bronze haired gladiator!

_No! _Not _mine. _

How could I even think something so foolish?

Despite my internal thoughts raging war on each other, my eyes did not leave the gladiator as he faced off with another called a Secutor who carried a shield as well as a sword. The duel began just as violently as the first however I could see the flaw of the Secutor who continued to throw all of his weight into every slash. The bronze haired gladiator struck him in the side, and then parried out of the way as the Secutor moved to strike. The bronze haired man moved behind him and slid one of his swords through the Secutor's body while the other one quickly cut the head off of him.

I was utterly speechless.

The man's head rolled on the ground as his body dropped heavily onto the sand. I covered my mouth with my hand. I was going to be sick, but not because of how awful the gladiator was. It was the sight of the blood squirting out of the dead Secutor's neck that made my stomach twist with illness.

Everyone in the amphitheater stood and roared at the bronze haired man.

The Emperor stood up from his seat. I watched with wide eyes as he walked over to me and held out his hand.

"Rome would like to see their new Empress giving the champions their prizes," he said to me with a smile that seemed to make me feel just as queasy as the killing.

I knew I had no room to deny him. Taking his cold, veined hand, I stood and walked with him down into the arena. As we walked onto the sand I noticed that the other victorious gladiators had joined the bronze haired man. My heart pounded at a great speed within my ribs as I got closer and closer to the bronze haired man.

From several meters away I could see him much more clearly, and my heart began to sink. He most definitely _did not _have an unsightly face.

The Emperor stopped a few feet away from the line of men, who all bowed respectively. A slave I had not noticed before suddenly appeared on my right with a silver tray that held six palm branches upon it. My uncle let go of my hand and looked to the fighters as the Coliseum went quiet, everyone wanting to hear his words.

"You all have fought valiantly. Your lives have been spared for another day. I present your tokens of victory," he called out. The crowd began to yell in encouragement. I had managed to keep my eyes trained on my feet, however my uncle touched my arm gently, "Isabella, would you do the honor?" he asked me.

My mouth went dry and my eyes widened. Surely he was joking.

The look he gave me clearly said that he was not.

I slowly stepped forward toward the victors, the slave with the tray stayed to my left and slightly behind me. I stepped to the first man and reached for a palm branch with a shaky hand.

"For your victory," I said with a small nod, my eyes never meeting his. The man took the palm as I moved on to the next man.

On the fifth man I felt my hands begin to tingle. The bronze haired man was only a step away from me. As I gave the fifth man his branch I moved in front of the bronze haired man. With a deep breath I moved my eyes up from the ground.

I followed the tanned feet bound in leather sandals, up to firm, and tan thighs, obviously well muscled. His hips were lean and thin and his bare chest showed his chiseled abdominal muscles that were covered in sweat and sand. His broad shoulders led into a strong neck and a sharp jaw. Slightly cracked lips with a small amount of blood on them, high cheekbones and a straight nose and finally his eyes. Oh Gods, _his eyes _were beautiful! They were a stunning shade of green that reminded me of the leaves in the summer and his dirty and messy bronze hair was wet with perspiration.

Heat surged through every part of my body. It felt as though I had been lit on fire.

He was _beautiful_! Surely he was a God. No mortal could ever hold such perfection!

"For your victory," I said in barely a whisper as I reached for the palm and held it out for the man to take. His eyes burned into mine with an intensity that left me breathing heavily. Never had anyone had this kind of effect on my body.

"Thank you," he whispered, and his voice was just as sweet and rich as the honey I'd had this morning. His large, dirty, and calloused hands reached for the palm and took it from my hand, slightly brushing the skin of my fingers. I could not stop the humming and buzzing sensation that occurred in the same place his skin had touched mine.

His eyes searched mine, as if he was trying to find something.

_What are you looking for? _I wondered to myself.

I realized I had just been staring at this man, and I quickly turned and found my place next to my uncle again who quickly took my hand in his own once more.

The crowd shouted and roared in approval as the victors bowed and waved to the crowd, but not the bronze haired gladiator. Instead he kept his shining green eyes trained on my face, and I could not help but look back at him. There was something in his eyes that made me want to believe that he was better than the condemned criminal society had made him.

This man was not who he appeared to be.

"Come, Isabella, I must return you to your father," Aro said to me in a slightly harsher voice than before as he tugged my hand and pulled me away from the gladiator.

As we walked out of the arena, I could still feel his spring colored eyes on my back.

Once we reached the Emperor's podium I found Rosalia and gripped onto her arm tightly. She held onto me just as tightly, knowing exactly what I was thinking at that moment.

I blushed at the idea of anybody knowing what my thoughts were right now.

Images of the bronze haired gladiator's muscles rippled in his back as he pulled off a tunic, his arms flexing as he swung his swords with the accuracy of an expert. His neck taught and his jaw clenched as he concentrated. His green eyes dark with emotion as he poised himself above me…

No! I should not be thinking things like this about a man who will die within the next week… But still, I had seen everything in such detail that I found it hard to bring myself back to the bustle of the Coliseum.

"Let us get you home," Rosalia whispered to me reassuringly then turned to the men, "The heat has gotten to her, she must rest."

I had never been more thankful for my friendship with Rosalia. She understood the value of keeping a secret and this one surely wasn't to be told to my father.

Delos asked if I needed help to walk. I shook my head, not daring to use my voice because I knew it would shake as my hands still did.

We walked through the mass of people out into the streets again. The Forum was positively filled with people although the sun was starting to set. Rosalia guided me through the people until we had finally arrived at the house.

Without another word I detached myself from Rosalia and walked silently to my room. I did not care if I missed supper, for I was positive my stomach would not hold any contents with the afternoon's images fresh in my mind.

The only thing I seemed to be capable of was thinking of the bronze haired gladiator. The one that seemed so beautiful, he must have been a God.

I stripped off my stola and dropped it to the floor, taking out the pins in my hair as I walked over to the vanity. My shoes were also taken off and I slipped under the cotton blankets upon my bed. The setting sun came in through the archway that led to the balcony. The light was golden and red and it fell upon my blankets in warm rays.

My thoughts stayed on only my gladiator.

Only of how he had seemingly awoken more feelings inside of me than any other person I had ever known and I had barely spoken a word to him. I had never seen this man before, but for some reason, it felt as if I had known him since birth. He gave off such a masculine vibe that for once I felt delicate and womanly and _beautiful _from the way he had stared at me with such clear eyes.

I was not sure how long my thoughts went one.

I had no idea when my eyes had finally closed because my dreams were also filled with the man with bronze hair. However, these thoughts were wicked, although they did not seem so wrong when they involved him.

His skin against mine.

His hot breath in my ear, on my chest, against my lips.

His hard muscle against my soft curves.

Calloused warm hands entwined with delicate, small ones.

Our bodies moving in tandem, his weight felt delicious atop my body, and the feelings he pulled from my flesh felt heavenly. I felt wanted, and beautiful, full of passion, and safe.

Alas, it was only a dream…

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><p><em>AN: And thus, Gladiatorward is born :) I hope you all enjoyed it and there weren't too many mistakes *crosses fingers* Please don't forget to review, and if you have any criticism, please be gentle. This is my first fanfic and I am certainly not claiming to be perfect. I'll most likely update on the weekends, cause frankly, this chapter was fucking long and my hands fucking cramped up Several Times. Also… I may just put a lemon in the next chapter if this story gets a lot of feedback… Alright… That's about it… I'll see you…. Later?  
>~Artemis Psyche<em>

_Terminology for this chapter:_

_Stola__ – a long tunic that usually reached the ground, could either have short sleeves or be sleeveless.  
><em>_Forum__ – The market place for upper class citizens of Rome, also a place to see plays and other entertainment.  
><span>Subura<span> - The part of Rome where the poverty stricken population lived, usually very unsafe, especially at night.  
><em>_Noxii__ – A slave condemned to die in the arena.  
><em>_Bestiarii __– Gladiators that fought against wild animals.  
><em>_Murmillo__ – A gladiator with a helmet that had a fish-like crest, and was heavily armed.  
><em>_Dimachaerus__ – A gladiator that held two swords. (nicknamed "Provocator" which meant "challenger")  
><em>_Secutor __– A gladiator with an elaborate helmet, an oblong shield, and a sword._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **As always, I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters. I own my plot and my own characters. I am also NOT an expert historian. I doubt my story is perfect, but I enjoy the subject and I try my hardest to make sure it is as accurate as possible.

_A/N: Anyway! Thank you to the reviewers! You made my day much brighter *smiles like idiot* any feedback is appreciated as long as it is done in a respectful way. Also, I know I said I'd update on the weekend… but I seriously misjudged my talent for multitasking… Basically… The holidays & Real Life kicked my ass… Anyway, I'm here now so, Enjoy! *Dims the lights and opens the curtain*_

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><p><strong>2<strong>

I should have spoken to Alice the day after my first dream.

Instead, I waited to see if they would stop on their own. I was sadly mistaken.

I waited four entire days, and still I could not contain my thoughts while I was both conscious and unconscious. All of my thoughts were now consumed the bronze haired man who was both a gladiator and a criminal. I wondered what he had done as his offence. Surely somebody as God like as he couldn't have committed a crime _that _heinous.

On the fifth morning I woke with a start. My entire body was covered in sweat, skin flushed and overheated. My chemise clung to my body like a second skin and my breathing was erratic. It was not even morning yet.

The dream had been just like the others. My body void of any clothes, as was the bronze haired man. Our skin pressed tightly together, gliding along each other in such a sensual way that it made me shiver just to remember the action. His lips felt soft and hot against my own, as if I was kissing the sun however the burn I felt only ignited a flame inside of me and left me blistered in the most pleasurable of ways. He touched me in a way that I have never been touched before. He awoke feelings that I had never even known I possessed. How could this be? I had never even spoken to him! Gods! I didn't even know his _name. _

With another sigh of annoyance I pushed myself out of my bed. The fact that the sky was still dark with little more than an hour before the sun rose did little to deter me. I walked with a quiet stride over to the chest with my clean tunics and stolas. I pulled out a fresh one of each and pulled on the soft material, adjusting it slightly as it fell over my body. I pulled out my palla and wrapped it around my shoulders as well as draped it over my hair, which remained down from my rest. After fastening my sandals onto my feet I carefully took the small candle holder off of my vanity with the dripping candle resting in it.

My door did not make a sound as I pushed it open quietly. I peered down on end of the hallway and then the other, just to be positive that none of the maids had started on their chores yet. After realizing I was alone, I padded out into the hall, a small bubble of light fanned out around me from the candle in my hands.

Without pausing I made my way to the atrium, and out the front door. The sky was still very dark over my head, but on edge where the earth met the sky there was the beginnings of daybreak. I knew that the Vestal Virgins would be awake at this time, beginning their duties for the day. This meant that both Alice and Celia would be awake.

The stalls were all empty in the Forum and marketplace. An eerie silence took the space of the shouting and bartering that filled the air during the morning and afternoon. A slight chill rested near the ground because to the darkness and I pulled my palla closer around my face to ward it away from my skin.

My steps were quick, since I had no idea who might be walking through the streets at such an early hour. I was not in the Subura, but that did not mean that it was not dangerous. Especially considering the fact that I was a young woman of noble blood without any kind of escort.

Finally, I spotted the gleaming top of the white marble temple only a few paces away. From my place I could see a glowing light from the eternal flame, and the shadows of the virgins tending it. I was fairly positive that my cousins would be awake, but I still hoped I would not find them resting.

I walked up the stairs to the temple, stopping only momentarily to offer a small prayer to the goddess asking for the constant prosperity of Rome. The women in the temple gave me curious looks upon my arrival however I did not mind them. My eyes sought out the inky black hair of my cousins.

I released a sigh of relief when I finally spotted Celia by the fire. I walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, opening my mouth to tell her it was only me.

"Cousin, how wonderful of you to come, Alice was beginning to wonder how long you would try and solve your problem on your own," she spoke with a smile in her voice before I could utter any words. I let out a breath and the beginnings of a smile tugged lightly on my lips. I should have known that they were expecting me.

"I see she has purposefully keeping an eye on me?" I ask quietly. Celia smiled a bit and shrugged delicately.

"Although she cannot control her visions, I suppose she has a natural inclination to watch over those we love," she responded and then looked up to her left. I followed her gaze and saw Alice approaching us with a slightly smug smile on her face. When she reached us she hugged me gently.

"Thank goodness. I was beginning to wonder if I had to send a messenger to bring you down here," she chastised me playfully. I shook my head with a small smile that dropped quickly as I recalled why I had come in the first place. I glanced around the nearly empty temple. The other virgins must still be sleeping.

"You may speak, Isabella. No one will over heart us, trust me," Alice whispered to me with a nod of her head. I took a deep breath and glanced at the ground, my hands twisting uncomfortably in front of my body. What was I supposed to tell them? They seemed so young at fifteen, and knowing their standing upon sex I did not know how to proceed.

"I've… Been having dreams lately, about… someone," I managed to say with a thick voice. Alice looked intently into my eyes while Celia remained silent, listening to everything.

"And this person is someone you know?" Alice prompted. I let a shuddering breath leave my body as I shook my head.

"Not really. He's… He was a gladiator who fought five days ago in the arena. He killed both of his opponents. He was… beautiful. Unlike any man that I have ever seen in my life. Something about him has stayed with me and latched onto my soul, refusing to leave. Somehow he invades every one of my thoughts, conscious or unconscious. I do not know what to do," my voice broke at the end of my admission, but the weight of holding my secret thoughts had lifted from my shoulders. Neither of my cousins had spoken yet and their silence was deafening. I looked to the floor. "Am I crazy for having these dreams about a man I know nothing about, and for wanting to know everything about him at the same time?" I asked quietly.

The loud laugh that Alice produced made me jump in my spot, my eyes snapping to her face. I glanced at Celia to find that she was smiling as well.

"What is so funny?" I asked with a frown. Did they not understand that I was completely baffled by my thoughts?

"I'm sorry, Isabella, but you ask me if you are crazy, when I am the one who dreams of our family's impending doom? Of course you are not crazy, silly girl," she chuckled again and my frown set deeper into my face.

"Then how has this man managed to take hold of me so firmly? I do not even know his name," I whispered to myself, more than to my cousins.

"Perhaps you should find out?" Alice asked me quietly. I looked at her, my eyebrows firmly pressed together.

"You know that is not possible. A gladiator is no better than a criminal and the guards certainly would not let me into the barracks, and my father would most definitely not approve. It was a good suggestion, however it is impossible," I spoke softly to my cousins.

"Then I am not sure what you want me to say, Isabella," Alice sighed. I looked at her with a sad smile. I knew that I should not have expected so many answers to the questions I was not even sure about. My cousin was still young, and did not know just how intimate these dreams were. She did not understand how these feelings had been drawn out of me by the gladiator that I had met only once.

With a sigh of defeat I looked down at my feet, my hands playing with the hem of my palla that fell over my shoulders, and still remained over my hair. What else was I to do? The only ones who could possibly help with my dreams had only one answer that was seemingly impossible to accomplish.

To go to the barracks of the gladiators was near impossible especially for someone who had no real reason for going. I was doomed to live with my dreams forever.

"Oh do stop looking as if all hope is lost. You are having dreams of an affair with a gladiator. There are much worse things in life," Alice chided me with a raised eyebrow. My eyes darted from the floor as I searched her face. I had not told her the nature of my dreams. She seemed to sense my thoughts and her smile lifted into a smug look, "Do not be so surprised, cousin."

I merely shook my head and looked back at the floor. The light of dawn was now approaching, the sky more of a charcoal gray than black.

"You should return home before your servants tell your father you are missing and all of Rome is sent to find you. Think of what we have said… I have a feeling things shall work themselves out in the end for you, dear Isabella," Alice whispered to me softly. I nodded to her, and hugged both her and Celia before turning and walking out of the temple. Lost in my thoughts I did not pay attention to where I was going until I realized that I should have been on the road back to my home at this point. I looked up from the dusty ground I had been studying only to find that I was no longer in the Forum.

The houses around me were almost falling apart, the windows darkened although I could hear some indistinct shouts in the air coming from down the road. My breathing sped up as I turned quickly on my heel, hoping to get back to the Forum as fast as possible. The air here was disturbing and I pulled my palla closer around my face to ward off the chill that ran down my spine.

A crash echoed behind me and my heart stopped beating for a moment as I jumped, quickly looking over my shoulder. No one was there.

My heart began to beat faster as I turned around and began to walk with a faster pace towards some kind of safety. From behind me I heard the distinct sound of something being dragged along in the dirt. For a moment I told myself it was only my mind playing tricks on me, however when I turned to look over my shoulder, the figure of a stumbling, drunk man was what I saw. He seemed to notice I had caught him and sent me a leering smile.

"What's something so pretty like you doing out so early? And in such a touchy place too," he said, his words slurring together in an unpleasant manner.

"K-keep away from me," I ordered in a voice that I hoped did not sound as feeble to the man as it did to myself. The man barked out a laugh that sounded more like an animal noise than a human one.

"Looks like I've found me a little fighter," he said as he drew closer. I began to back away from the man, only to hit something solid behind me. I turned and gasped as I came face to face with another man. His body round, and his eyes bloodshot. I jumped away from him, only to receive the same kind of leering smile that the other man had given me.

"Lovely, ain't she," the first man called to the other. Both men started to advance on me and I let out a small whimper before trying to straighten out my back.

"I said stay back!" I warned him, my eyes flashing, "You have no idea who you are dealing with!"

"Of course we do!" barked the second man as he advanced on me. I could smell wine on his breath and on his clothes, the smell triggering panic in my system, "There ain't anyone pretty as you in Subura, you must be from good blood."

"Don't be ridiculous, now let me pass," I tried to steady my voice, however my pounding and stuttering heart seemed to prevent it.

Both men were now only a few feet away, staring at me menacingly.

"Let's not be getting any ideas now. Just let us have a bit of fun… Surely you've never been with a man… I'm sure your father would want to keep you a pretty little secret, ain't that right?" the second man glared at me.

I didn't answer. My fear was now wracking my body and I did the only thing I thought I could. I lunged to my right, trying to escape the two men, thinking they couldn't possibly catch me in their inebriated state. I was clearly wrong and a shrill scream pierced the night as the man roughly grabbed my arms and brought me back towards him and his friend. I struggled and kicked as the man's hand wound around my mouth, preventing another noise to burst out of me, while his other groped and tore at my clothes.

Tears began to pour down my face as I thrashed, seemingly helpless against the two men determined to take me.

Suddenly the man's arms were ripped away from me and I fell to the dirt in a heap, shaking and shivering. I barely had time to see two new men begin to beat up the two offenders. I whimpered and closed my eyes again, not wanting to see anymore, curling in on myself to avoid being hurt any further.

I could hear the grunts of the men fighting and the solid thumping of fists colliding with bodies, the loud crunch of bones breaking. The noises churned my stomach.

I should never have gone to Alice and Celia.

Finally the noises ceased, though I remained on the ground. A hand suddenly touched my now bare arm and I flinched away from it, opening my eyes to yell at whoever was touching me.

However I found I could do nothing as my eyes met the same eyes of my Gladiator. Surely not! It was not possible for him to be here! How could this happen? I must have been silent for longer than I assumed because the bronze haired man in front of me seemed to be growing more concerned by the second.

"Are you alright?" he asked in barely a whisper. I nodded to him, "Are you hurt?" he continued.

"No… How did you… I thought…" I could not form a clear sentence and the gladiator smiled a bit at me, though it did not reach his eyes.

"Do not worry about how. We are only glad we found you before…" his eyes grew dark and menacing and the muscles in his jaw clenched, clearly thinking about what my fate might have been if they had not come to my rescue…

"There is another?" I asked suddenly, his words making sense in my head. He nodded and held a hand out to me. I gratefully took it, my gaze avoiding the two bodies by the wall of the building nearby us. His had was rough, but still warm as it held my own as if I was the most delicate thing in the world.

As I stood I realized that there was another figure standing in the road near us. A hulking figure, a man bound in solid muscle, with short brown hair and eyes that glinted despite the fact the sky was still a bit dark.

I realized that I was just standing there, rudely. Flushing with color in embarrassment my hand slipped away from the bronze haired man's and I looked at them both.

"Thank you, for saving me. I do not wish to think of what would have become of me had you not been here… What are your names?" I asked bravely. My heart thudded inside of my chest at the thought of finally knowing my gladiator's name. Perhaps Alice had been correct. Everything had worked out.

"My name is Emidio Corvus, I'm pleased to have been a help to you, Miss," the enormous man said with a dimpled smile and a respectful bow. My gaze swung to the other man. My gladiator. He stared back into my eyes, and for a moment I felt as though he could read every one of my thoughts. Desperately I tried not to think of the things I had done with this man in my dreams. His hands upon my flesh, his lips upon mine. The man gave me a small smile, as if he knew what I was thinking again and I felt myself flush.

"And your name?" I prompted bravely. The man let out a small chuckle, that was barely audible however I was sure that I had never heard a more perfect sound.

"My name is Edoard Marcellus," he said and I felt as though this name was perfect for him. _Edoard. _It fit.

"And what is your name, Miss?" Emidio asked me with another kind smile. I smiled back at him despite everything that had just happened. His presence was very much like Delos. A protective brother.

"I am Isabella Volturi, daughter of Caius Volturi," I spoke softly, yet firmly, watching as the eyes of both men widened. My heart fell a little when I watched their faces grow wary, "Please do not think this changes my gratitude I feel."

"Of course not, but if you don't mind my asking, how is it a woman of your stature managed to wander into such a dangerous part of Subura?" Emidio asked while I saw Edoard's hands clench into a fist at his sides.

"I was visiting my cousins… I was just lost in my thoughts as I tried to get home… Obviously one wrong turn and I was found in a much more dangerous place than I had meant to be in. Now if you'll permit me my own question?" I asked slowly. They both nodded to me and I drew in a deep breath.

"If you are both gladiators, how is it you are out right now? I thought all gladiators were locked in the barracks before and after their fights?" I wondered. Both men exchanged a smirk and then began to laugh. My eyebrows drew together and I huffed, not enjoying the fact that they were laughing at my expense. "It was merely a question!" I hissed at them and then chastised myself. No lady was supposed to let her anger show through, despite who she might be talking to.

They did not stop laughing and with another huff I turned on my heel and began to walk down the road again. The sky was now a light gray, and I knew the sun would soon be appearing. It felt as if it was already noon, even though it was barely morning yet.

However my thoughts always found their way back to the fact that it had been my gladiator… Edoard… who had saved me from that horrible fate. Had he known it was me? Did he remember me, or was he just so kind that he would help any maiden in need of rescue? For some reason, a wave of jealously shot through my veins at the thought of him saving a handful of other women from drunken attackers.

"Excuse me, Miss Isabella?" Emidio's voice floated from behind me, almost a bit embarrassed.

"Yes? Are you done laughing at me now?" I asked him, wincing at the harshness in my voice. If Rosalia, Delos or my father had heard that tone I would have gotten a very long lecture on how to act like a proper Lady.

"We were not laughing at you, Miss. We were laughing at something else," he quickly tried to redeem himself. I sighed and slowed my pace, turning to see both Emidio and Edoard right behind me. They came to an abrupt stop as I set a glare on my face.

"Go on," I simply stated and Edoard immediately began to speak.

"It is not allowed, however the man we were trained by, the man we work for, Carlo, he was very impressed with our fighting the other day. He received permission from the barracks master to bring us out for a drink as long as we promised to continue winning. The other gladiators were not pleased that we were being let out for the night, we were merely laughing at our good fortune," Edoard explained to me softly. My frustration with the two men ebbed away and I nodded.

"Well then, shouldn't you be getting back to your master?" I inquired with a raised eyebrow, thoroughly embarrassed by my previous behavior. As much as I wanted to stay and talk with Edoard, to know him as I might know any other man in Rome, I knew that it was not possible. He was a criminal.

"He was enjoying his drink when we left him to clear our heads. Lucky we did, or you might not have been saved, Miss," Emidio said to me, a serious edge in his voice. I realized that even though he was an older brother type soul, he had seen and been through more than I could possibly comprehend.

"What my friend is trying to say, is that we do not need to rush back to him. I… _We _would like to make sure you get back to the Forum safely," Edoard replied softly, his spring green eyes burned into my own. The heat of my body rose as I recalled looking into those eyes as I cried out in pleasure during my dreams.

"Of course, that would be very kind of you," I said softly, and nodded. They both nodded back to me and fell into step with me as I turned and continued down the road. My heart felt like a bird trapped in a cage as I strained to listen to the deep breaths of Edoard as he walked next to me. His tall, broad body walking beside me, the tanned muscles in his arms visible under the short sleeves of his tunic.

When we finally reached the cross roads that led to the Forum I paused and turned to look at the two men that had saved my life. Emidio's eyes, I could now see were a sparkling blue, his dimples plain on his face.

"Thank you, Emidio," I smiled to him and he bowed again.

"Any time, Miss Isabella," he nodded to me.

"Hopefully there won't be another need, but thank you as well Edoard," I said softly, enjoying how his name tasted on my tongue. Edoard's green eyes bore into my own as he gave me a slight nod, his muscles tense once again.

"You are more than welcome, Miss," he replied back to me with his own bow. I nodded again, trying to catch my breath as I turned and walked into the Forum that was now bustling with early morning life. The rising sun was now over the horizon and cast scarlet, pink and orange beams into the sky. I pulled my palla around my shoulders, trying to hide my face in shadows. The last thing I needed was gossip to be spread by anyone who had seen me come out of the Subura with not only two men, but two men who were convicted criminals.

I shuddered at the thought of what my father would think if he heard that news.

My steps quickened as I made it back to my home, bursting through the front door only to find Delos speaking urgently with my father in the atrium. They both looked up at my arrival, and both anger and relief flooded their features.

"Where have you been!" my father shouted as I pulled my pall off of my head and laid it on my shoulders. I sighed, knowing that it was just better to tell them the whole truth about my morning, no matter what the consequences might be later.

"I went to go and visit Celia and Alice this morning," I started, continuing on to tell them all about my inadvertent trip to the Subura, which received a string of profanities from Delos, and about my attackers and the two men who had saved me.

"What are their names? The men who saved you?" my father asked, looking deep in thought. I fidgeted and looked down at the floor.

"You must promise not to get angry," I told him first, "Their names are Emidio and Edoard. They are both gladiators."

My father's eyes grew wide and rage washed over his features again, "You let _criminals _walk you back to the Forum? You could have been in even more danger than you were before! You could have been killed!" he yelled angrily.

"But I wasn't, father. They saved me, and they safely led me back to the Forum," I told him firmly.

"How could they have been out in the Subura if they are gladiators?" Delos asked suddenly, his eyes skeptical.

"I wondered the same thing, however their master bribed the guards into letting them both out for a night off because of their winnings. Don't you remember Delos? I realized that Edoard was the Dimachaerus who'd won both of his fights," I tried to jog his memory. Delos nodded his head, as if he remembered, but his face remained stoic.

"It was still extremely unwise to go with them, Isabella… Still, they did save your life, and for that they deserve a reward," my father pondered. I resisted the urge to scoff at his words.

"And just what is the price for my life?" I wondered aloud. My father and Delos both shot me a pointed look and I kept my mouth shut for the remaining time while they pondered their options.

"Perhaps we should hold a feast for them? The Emperor must hear of this, and he shall be invited to thank them as well," Delos suggested and my heart leapt in my breast at the thought of being able to see Edoard once again. This time under more pleasurable circumstances.

"Yes, quite a good idea, Delos. It is settled then, I shall send word to the Emperor about what has passed and we shall prepare for the feast tonight," my father said.

"_Tonight?" _ I asked incredulously. Feasts usually took at least a week to prepare the right way, especially if the Emperor was attending.

"Yes, tonight. Delos, go and tell the servants what is happening, I shall pay my brother a visit," my father said, and both men went in separate directions, leaving me standing alone in the atrium.

I then realized that I needed to start getting ready if I was to look even remotely presentable for the feast tonight. I rushed to my room, conjuring one of my maids to help draw me a bath and help me choose my clothes. My thoughts only of impressing Edoard, wondering what color he might like the best… How he might like my hair… What jewelry I might wear….

x-X-x

As the sun began to set, the guests began to arrive. All of them looked polished and prepared as if they had not only been told of this even only this morning.

I stood with my father at the front door, him wearing his white tunic with a purple clavus, marking his allegiance with the denoted senators. I on the other hand wore a simple blue stola with golden embroidery along the edges. It was sleeveless, however it was wrapped so that part of the dress draped over my shoulder and fell over my back. My hair was pulled back in an intricate plaiting that had again left me jealous for not knowing how to create such a masterpiece. The only jewelry I wore was a simple necklace made of gold.

I greeted all of the guests, most of them being senators and high officials of Rome and their wives. Delos and Rosalia arrived with smiles upon both of their faces, Rosalia giving me a playful tongue lashing on such notice for the feast and a promise that she would speak with me later of the events that had provoked such an event. Tonina and Michelangelo also arrived, giving me false smiles and concern for my wellbeing. I simply nodded graciously, and tried to ignore them.

Finally the Emperor arrived and I dipped into a curtsey for him, before his cold hand reached my chin and gently pulled me up.

"How fortunate you were rescued. The Gods have certainly blessed our family, for I can certainly not imagine a life in this family without you, dear Isabella," his voice sent a trickle of fear down my spine, however I deemed it irrational.

"Yes, had it not been for Emidio and Edoard I would surely have been left to die in a back alley of the Subura," I replied with an annoyed tone.

"Indeed," my Uncle nodded pensively and then moved on to greet my father. I glared at the ground beneath my feet. The tragic fact that I have been betrothed to that fake and horrible man came to the forefront of my mind. How could life be so impossibly unfair?

"Miss Isabella?" a voice suddenly said my name and I whipped my head up to see Emidio grinning at me, coming through the door.

"Emidio! I was so afraid you would not be allowed to come tonight," I said with my own smile. I was true, I had been scared they would not come tonight. I was scared that Edoard would not come tonight.

"Well I suppose when the Emperor himself requests the presence of two gladiators, there are not many people who would dare refuse him," Emidio joked and I let out a laugh.

"You must be the man who saved my daughter's life, you do not know how grateful I am for it," my father suddenly interjected into the conversation. Emidio nodded with a more subdued smile on his face now.

"If it hadn't been for Edoard spotting them, we may not have done even that," Emidio admitted just as the man in question stepped in through the front doors.

He looked absolutely glorious. His bronze hair was cleaned and shone in the light from the torches. He was wearing a simple outfit composed of a tunic made of brown cotton with a leather belt that was the same as Emidio's, and leather sandals were strapped onto his feet. Despite the fact he was dressed so simply, my heart continued to flutter and stutter beneath my breast. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

"You must be Edoard then. I am extremely grateful for what you have done, I was also very impressed by your fighting the other day in the arena," my father nodded to Edoard who graciously accepted his thanks with a courteous bow.

"Thank you, Sir. The life of a gladiator was certainly not my first choice, however I do what I must to survive," Edoard spoke in a smooth and level voice and his gaze never faltered from my father's eyes.

"Spoken like a true Roman," my father said quietly. Edoard bowed again and then turned his eyes upon my face. I felt myself flush as he took in my appearance and wondered for the hundredth time if I had chosen the right stola… or if my hair looked alright.

"Miss Isabella," he said with another formal bow in my direction. I nodded.

"Edoard, I'm grateful that you could come," I spoke, my voice much steadier than I thought it would be.

"Of course," Edoard nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Well, let us go and introduce you both. Everyone has been anxious to meet the men who saved our Isabella. Is your Master here?" my father asked.

"Unfortunately no, he was previously engaged," Edoard spoke smoothly. My father nodded and the gestured for Emidio and Edoard to follow him further into the house. I walked behind my father who fell into step with Emidio and Edoard. I could not help my gaze wander down the back of Edoard's head of unusual hair, into the strong muscles of his neck and the broad, but trimmed expanse of his shoulders. I wanted my hands to feel the muscles underneath the skin of those shoulders. Edoard's shoulders.

Stop! I should not be thinking those things. This feast was to thank these men for saving my life and I could not taint it with my somewhat perverted thoughts of a man I barely knew.

Finally the atrium opened up into the dining room, which had been completely transformed.

Two long tables now occupied the space, food and drink laid out in a beautiful arrangement on the table, everyone speaking amongst themselves. Enjoying themselves. They had no idea that a God was among them. Emidio and Edoard slowed to a stop in the archway, and I slid around them to take my place beside my father. I could not help but squirm under the feeling of eyes watching me.

The guests all quieted down and looked to my father who was smiling placidly out towards them.

"Friends, thank you all for coming to this feast on such short notice. As you know, my daughter was saved this morning after becoming trapped in the Subura. It was these two men, Emidio and Edoard, Gladiators of Rome, Slaves of Master Carlo Vespillo who saved her from a terrible fate. Tonight's feast is in celebration of the life of my daughter Isabella Volturi, and the remarkable courage of these men," my father's voice carried through the silence and everyone applauded afterward, casting impressed and awed looks at the two gladiators still standing in the archway.

I stifled a smile when color rose into Edoard's cheeks.

"Now, let us drink, and be content among old and new friends," my father smiled again, giving my shoulder a small squeeze and my temple a kiss before he mingled into the chattering crowd. I sighed and looked for Rosalia for a brief moment. I spotted her speaking with her husband and an older man I did not recognize, and I decided not to bother them quite yet.

Instead I wandered over to the long table filled with all kinds of different meals. Salads, vegetables, shellfish, snails, and the delicacy of stuffed dormice were laid out for the guests to take and find places among the room to recline against in order to enjoy their food. I picked a small vegetable from the table and took a nibble out of it.

"For someone with food to spare, you certainly don't eat much," a silken voice flowed around me, startling me enough for the vegetable to slip through my fingers back onto the plate. I looked up to my right to find Edoard smiling to himself, but looking down at the various dishes. To any other person it would only look like he was trying to decide what to eat.

I drew in a breath and tried to smile, "Well, I suppose I am just not hungry at the moment."

"After living on barley, beans, ashes and dried fruit, I find myself to always be hungry," Edoard replied simply and I felt my mouth open with shock.

"_Ashes? _Why would you eat _ashes?" _I asked rather loudly, not attempting to hide my shock. Edoard breathed a chuckle out through his nose, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"They are said to help fortify the body," he said again, as if was the simplest thing in the world to understand. But how could it be? That was completely vile! Edoard seemed to read my mind, "They don't taste half as bad when they are mixed in with other food," he whispered, obviously attempting to calm me.

I closed my mouth and attempted to brush off his comment.

"What is your favorite?" I asked suddenly, returning my eyes to the food on the table.

"My favorite, what?" Edoard asked a smile in his voice.

"Food, what do you miss the most?" I clarified quickly as Edoard chuckled out loud.

"I don't think anyone has asked me that question since I having come to Rome, but to answer your question, I'd say an apple," he said back to me. I raised my eyebrows as I brought my gaze up to his own green eyes.

"An apple? Seems quite simple," I said softly. Edoard shrugged.

"I suppose it is the simple things that people take for granted the most," he spoke slowly, his deep, smooth voice rolling in waves around me. Making my bones feel like liquid inside of my flesh.

I found that I had been staring into his jade colored eyes for quite a while and I quickly cleared my throat as I looked away. A blush crept up my neck, however I paid no mind to it.

Another guest found his way over the table and began to fill his goblet with wine and his plate with food. I filled my own glass full of the deliciously sour drink and then turned away from the table, leaving Edoard to mull over the many choices.

It wasn't long before I found Rosalia with Delos, speaking quietly in a corner. As soon as her eyes met mine, she lit up and grabbed my arm.

"I see you've come to steal away my wife," Delos laughed at me as Rosalia dragged me away from him.

"I feel as though _she _is the one doing the stealing," I smiled back at him then turned to walk with my friend. She settled with me in an abandoned corner of the room and began to speak with me quickly.

"Do you know how idiotic you have been! How could you have gone unto the Subura without any protection and at _dawn? _Do you wish the God's wrath upon yourself, child? I am ashamed at how foolish you have acted! Now tell me all about how you were rescued by those two men over there," her blazing eyes dimmed into twinkling ones and I could not help but to giggle at her.

I quickly recounted what had happened, letting her reprimand me again for my stupidity, and then listen to her gush about how incredibly lucky I was.

"It's a very good thing that those men were genuine and were not looking for anything else! Either way, I am glad that you are safe and sound, and might I be so bold as to tell you that the gladiator I've been told is named _Edoard _is clearly staring at you," she smirked at me as my eyes grew wide and I turned my head to find that she was correct.

Edoard was looking directly at me from his spot across the room with Emidio, who was happily chatting in his ear.

I felt myself blush and turned back to Rosalia.

"You know that he is also the gladiator we watched the other day in the coliseum. The Dimachaerus?" I whispered to her and she gasped quietly.

"No wonder you look like a freshly picked apple!" she giggled into her goblet of wine and I resisted the urge to pinch her. "In all seriousness, Isabella, I think you should spend this night talking with him, learn something about him. Perhaps it will quell your incessant thoughts of the man," she smirked at me again. With a sigh I sipped my wine, mulling over her words. In a moment of confidence I drew my head up and squared my shoulders.

"Perhaps you are right," I spoke to her with conviction. She giggled again as I turned and walked straight towards the man in question who seemingly looked wary that I was advancing upon him.

Rosalia was most likely correct. All I needed to do was find out something about him. Find a flaw so that I will realize that this man was not the big deal I had created him to be. He was a mortal, like every other man in this room therefore he was probably selfish and yearned for power in politics. He may have a beautiful façade, but he was no better than a criminal.

"Miss Isabella," Emidio smiled at me, coming out of his conversation with Edoard. I smiled back to him and then looked to his handsome companion.

"Would you mind if I stole Edoard for a few moments?" I asked with a somewhat coy expression however the fluttering feeling in my abdomen refused to cease. Emidio's smile grew even larger as he clapped a strong hand on Edoard's shoulder while Edoard himself looked very taken aback by my boldness.

"Of course not! He's all yours, Miss," Emidio grinned and then gave Edoard a slight push, though it did little to move the man, in my direction.

"Thank you," I nodded to him and then looked directly into Edoard's spring colored eyes that were confused, anxious and hopeful all at the same time.

"Would you like to come with me to the courtyard? There are fewer people there," I said softly. Edoard merely nodded and I turned without another glance at him as I led the way out towards the courtyard in the middle of the house. As I predicted there were only a few people scattered around the courtyard in the dim light, all engaged in their own private conversations.

As I took a seat on a marble bench near a large bush another man let out a loud laugh from across the courtyard. I fixed my stola over my legs, smoothing out the material and then pushing a few loose hairs from my face before I looked up to see Edoard's eyes upon my figure. He stood a few paces from the bench, looking as though he did not quite understand what he was supposed to do now.

"You're welcome to sit, Edoard," I said softly and he nodded in a quick jerking movement, then proceeded to sit down on the opposite edge of the bench. Apparently he wanted to be as far away as possible from me.

"So, Miss Isabella—" Edoard began and I quickly cut him off.

"Please call me Isabella. You've saved my life and I do not enjoy using such formal terms," I replied quickly. Edoard drew in a deep breath and sighed then nodded at me.

"_Isabella, _why have you asked to be alone with me? Certainly you cannot be comfortable with a man that holds a title such as mine no matter how many good deeds he has done," he said to me quietly and I studied his face for a moment. He looked almost pained. It was as if he was using every ounce of restraint that he possessed to hold his emotions in check. I merely shrugged and smoothed my skirt out again.

"It's not as if we are completely alone," I muttered, speaking about the other couples in the courtyard, "Besides, I wished to talk."

"Talk?" Edoard asked, clearly confused.

"Yes, talk. It is usually something one does with a new acquaintance in order to know them better," I explained.

"I know what it is, I am just surprised that you would feel the need to talk with me about anything at all," he muttered bitterly. My eyebrows shot up as I stared at him.

"Why ever not? You—"

"Saved your life? Yes, I've heard that many times tonight. And it shouldn't matter! Any decent person would have done what my companion and I did. It was extremely foolish for you to be walking in that part of the Forum at that time, and it was indeed very good fortune that Emidio and I spotted you, but you have no alternative reason to be kind to us. You should not want to know a man like myself," Edoard hissed at me angry, his green eyes blazing. I flinched away from his words and looked down at my lap, fidgeting with the material.

There was silence between us until I finally spoke, "What kind of a man are you, then?" My eyes looked up from my dress to see that Edoard's face had softened, but it was still bitter.

"I'm a man who would sell his soul and learn to kill innocent men in order to survive. I'm a man who has sworn to never fear death, and to murder mercilessly or perish myself," he whispered to me in a hard voice. I searched his face and realized that it was not as it seemed.

"I can tell that you are hiding something. I can tell that you are a good and honest man underneath your idiotic oaths and as for the murder? I've known more vicious politicians, many being in my own family… You do not scare me, Edoard. You never have," I replied softly, but firmly. His eyes flickered with recognition and he gasped slightly.

"Your remembered me then? Five days ago I presented you with a palm leaf in order for your victories in the arena. You knew it was me in the Subura, didn't you? You recognized me and you saved me because you knew who I was!" I said frantically, trying to keep my voice hushed.

"Yes," Edoard's voice was strained and the muscles in his neck were pulled tight. I let out a breath and for some strange reason, I smiled.

"I remembered you too," I whispered softly and Edoard's eyes flashed to my own. Something akin to hope sparking inside of them, but I could not divulge anything else about my thoughts of him, "Tell me how you came to be a gladiator," I changed the topic quickly. Edoard's face immediately became stoic and I realized that was better left alone.

"If you can't tell me that story, then tell me about your profession. What is it like to _be _a gladiator?" I asked and Edoard laughed quietly, although it did not reach his eyes.

"I would not quite call it a profession, but I will tell you that it is nothing that I would wish upon any other man. It is a lonely existence, and I have been fortunate to find a companion such as Emidio. He is truly my brother in every sense of the word excluding a blood relation. This lifestyle is harsh, and repetitive. You must always be guarded, and quick to react or you will find yourself with the Gods faster than you can say a prayer. The oath we take, is unchanging and binding. We are bound to being a gladiator until we are killed or until we may take our leave… Only one man has been known to do such a thing…" Edoard trailed off and his eyes grew distant as he stared up above the roof top.

"What is the oath you take?" I asked curiously. I'd never actually heard the oath of a gladiator, although I was positive I had the basics.

Edoard took a deep breath, "I commit my flesh, my mind, my will. I vow to endure, to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword."

My heart pounded in my ears and I wished for nothing more than the ability to bring Edoard into my arms and protect him from the cruelties of this world that we lived in. Edoard suddenly laughed and I looked at him, shock coloring my features.

"It sounds much more horrible than it is," he tried to assure me however I could see the lie in his face.

"Do not tell me that. I do not like it when others try and soften the harshness of the world. I know that Rome is not perfect. I understand that there are tragedies among this city," I murmured, a bit put out that he would try and uncomplicated things as one would do for a child.

"You are different than other women of your ranking," Edoard murmured and it was my turn to begin laughing.

"You are correct with that statement," I laughed and he smiled along with me. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the way his face lit up when he smiled. One side of his smile was a bit higher than the other and the sides of his eyes crinkled a bit.

After we had both stopped smiling we did not speak, and instead we sat staring at each other. I realized that we had gotten closer on the bench and our bodies were mere inches from each other. I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin, and the way his eyes stared into my own made my heart flutter like a caged bird.

"I dreamt of you."

The words flew from my lips before I could stop them and immediately a blush colored my cheeks. I ripped my gaze from Edoard's and my hand flew to my mouth, trying to convince myself that I had only imagined myself saying those words to him.

Instead of the laughter and taunting I expected to hear, I was surprised when I felt a rough, calloused hand take hold of my chin gently and turn my face back towards Edoard. My lips parted with a small gasp as I felt the pleasurable heat radiate into my skin from his touch, my heart pounding twice as hard.

Edoard's eyes were soft and curious as they looked into mine. Nothing cruel or taunting in them at all. Only genuine curiosity.

"You dreamt of me? You remembered me?" he asked quietly. I nodded, his hand still holding my chin gently, as if I was glass and he might break me, "They were pleasant dreams, I hope?" Edoard asked and I felt my face heat up once again in embarrassment.

A small smile lit Edoard's face and interestingly, his eyes darkened to a deep jade color.

"Since that is the case, I think it's only fair that I admit that you have also been in my dreams," Edoard murmured to me and for the briefest of seconds I felt hope swell in my chest.

"Pleasant dreams, I hope?" I smirked, using his words against him. Edoard only smiled and nodded back to me.

"I could tell you about them, if you wish?" A mischievous glint appeared in Edoard's eyes, all regard for my title and the repercussions of his words completely cast aside. I stared at him for a moment, a small smile appearing on my lips, and in a moment of confidence I leaned forward and whispered next to his ear.

"I wish for you to show me, wait a few moments and then follow me," I whispered, my lips barely grazing the skin of his ear. I thought for a moment I detected a tremor passing through his body, however I was standing from the bench and walking away from the gladiator before I could be positive.

My skin felt flushed as I walked back inside through the atrium, making sure that no one had seen me, then made my way upstairs to my own bedroom, closing the door behind me.

It seemed that as soon as the door clicked behind me a strong feeling of dread and embarrassment washed over me. How could I have acted in such a way? I was no better than any common harlot begging for him! He did not even know where my room was! He was probably going back to Emidio to tell him of how foolishly I have acted.

My heart galloped in my chest as I walked out onto the balcony, staring out at the half moon above the trees. I barely heard the click of my door opening and closing.

How could I be so completely moronic to think that Edoard could possibly be having the same dreams as myself. He had probably dreamed of me falling prey to another drunken man or being murdered along with my family. Oh, I was so moronic to think he would come!

The sudden touch of warm, calloused hands running down my shoulders and arms broke me from my inner ramblings and set my heart off at a completely new pace.

A pair of warm lips brushed ever so lightly along the column of my neck and I shuddered with pleasure. The lips traveled to my ear and warm, sweet breath washed over my skin.

"It would be an honor to show you what my dreams consist of, Miss Isabella," Edoard's honey sweet voice whispered into my ear and I couldn't help but melt backwards into the warmth of his body. It seemed as though tonight would not be spent in a dream…

* * *

><p><em>AN: Arghhh! What a cock blocker I am! I'm sorry but my fingers were about to fall off and I thought this was a good place to end it ;) Perhaps not for you, but now I can hold the next chapter hostage in exchange for some reviews. Mwahaha! I'm not this evil usually, I promise. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the second chapter and I will have the steamy, sexy, lemony chapter up as soon as possible… As long I get me some reviews :) Thanks for reading!  
>~Artemis Psyche<em>

_Terminology for this chapter:_

_Palla__ – A cloak type piece of clothing that varies in size from a scarf to a large piece of material that is draped around the body.  
><em>_Subura__ – The dangerous East side of the Forum that servants shopped in and poor people resided in  
><em>_Clavus__ – A stripe worn with a tunic that traditionally showed membership to a specific order_

_*Any questions on the terms/if I missed one, just send me a question or in a review... Or just Google that shit up, because that's a helluva lot faster!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters. I own my plot and my own characters. I am also NOT an expert historian. I doubt my story is perfect, but I enjoy the subject and I try my hardest to make sure it is as accurate as possible.

_A/N: WHOA! Reviews, Ahoy! It really made me happy to see that so many of you are enjoying this story and I loved hearing from all of you, so THANK YOU! Also, I'd like to give a little shout out to __**Iris**__**: **__You better make your ass an account on here so I can steal you away as my Beta! *smiles creepily* Anyone else interested in being a proof reader, just send me a review or a message saying so :) the more the merrier! Alright… We last left off with a certain gladiator offering to show Isabella his naughty dreams? *panties drop*Okay… Let's get on with this before I keel over *fans self with useless papers on desk* See yah at the bottom!_

* * *

><p><em><span>Previously…<span>_

_ A pair of warm lips brushed ever so lightly along the column of my neck and I shuddered with pleasure. The lips traveled to my ear and warm, sweet breath washed over my skin._

_ "It would be an honor to show you what my dreams consist of, Miss Isabella," Edoard's honey sweet voice whispered into my ear and I couldn't help but melt backwards into the warmth of his body. It seemed as though tonight would not be spent in a dream…_

**3**

I should have denied him. I should have told him that this was all a big mistake and that he must leave immediately, however, only one word fell from my lips.

"Please," I whispered into the cooling air of the night.

"Anything," he replied, breathing over my flushed skin again. I felt my chest rise rapidly as Edoard remained behind me, running his calloused hands along the bare skin of my arms. I tried to grasp at anything that might bring my mind back into a more rational state. I knew that this was wrong, but I could not bring myself to acknowledge it.

Edoard's hands stroked up my arms again, leaving a tingling trail in their wake, gently gliding over my shoulders and ghosting over my neck until they reached my hair. He began to tug gently on the twists in my hair holding the wonderful design in place. Without realizing it, I reached up a hand to still him, feeling slightly bad that the beautiful twist would not be used as long as it should have.

"It's alright," Edoard reassured me as he continued to unwind the curls until my hair finally fell to my waist in waves. He wasted no time burying his hands in my hair, tangling them in it. I felt Edoard's face against my neck again, breathing hot air across my equally heated flesh. For a long while he stood, just breathing against my skin, and I wondered if I was expected to do something at this point. Perhaps he was having second thoughts?

Suddenly, his warm, slightly chapped lips were back and brushed along the column of my neck. My hairs stood on end as I shivered from the delicious feeling he created within me. Something that felt this wonderful couldn't possibly be wrong!

"Would you like me to tell you what I've dreamed about? How you have invaded every one of my thoughts since I first saw you? How I can see your beautiful eyes every time I close my own?" Edoard whispered to me. The whimper like noise that left my throat made my face heat with embarrassment. Edoard only chuckled breathlessly as his teeth grazed the skin of my jaw.

"I've also dreamed of the noises you would make at my hands, do not be embarrassed, my Bella," he whispered against me again and I could not stand to not see his face any longer. I slowly turned in his arms, gazing up into his handsome face which now was adorned with a hungry gaze.

He had called me Bella. No one had ever called me Bella…

"I can use your given name, if it pleases you?" Edoard murmured to me, his eyebrows furrowed. I realized that I may have come across as irritated with his brazenness.

I smiled softly at the man in front of me and shook my head, "I have never been just Bella. I think I might enjoy being her for tonight."

Edoard's returning smile was blinding and the fluttering in my abdomen was stronger than ever.

"I want you to kiss me," I whispered to Edoard and immediately the hungry look returned to his face.

"It would be an honor," he replied on a single breath, and then leaned forward towards me. My breath caught in my throat as Edoard's hands cradled my face, like I was the most precious glass. His gleaming eyes burned into my own and his handsome face inched closer and closer.

My eyes fluttered, closing tightly just as the moist warmth of Edoard's lips pressed against my own. A humming erupted throughout my body, singing in pleasure from the contact. The gentle, tentative probing of his lips against mine, sweeping back and forth. Another whimper left my mouth and Edoard responded with his own guttural noise that further created the fire in my body. The arms that had been at my side, reached up to wrap around Edoard's neck, one hand securely wrapped in the oddly colored hair.

One of Edoard's hands wrapped into my hair while the other hand drifted down to wrap around my body, pulling me closer against him. Every hard line of his body melded with the soft curves of my own. It was absolute perfection. Everything about Edoard was perfection.

"I dreamt of feeling your skin against my own. I wish to know every line and plane of your body. I will worship you," Edoard whispered against my lips. I gasped at his words, and he quickly took advantage of the moment, thrusting his tongue inside of my own mouth. At first it was odd, his tongue sweeping along my lips, touching my own tongue, teasing it and trying to gain a reaction. Finally I gently ran my tongue against his, earning a loud moan from Edoard.

I smiled into the kiss. _I had done that! _He was responding that way to _me! _

My thoughts caused me to stumble a bit in the kiss, however Edoard did not say anything about it. Instead I felt his hands at my shoulders, gently pushing the material of my stola off of my body. I tensed and Edoard pulled back from our kiss, searching my eyes. His own face told me I should not be afraid, however no man had ever seen my body so exposed. What if there was something different about me than other women? What if I was not good enough?

Edoard leaned forward quickly and placed a gently kiss on my lips, then pulled back to give me a soft smile.

"You are beautiful, Bella," he said to me, and in my moment of softness, he let the stola drop from my body, pooling on the floor around my feet. I gasped at the chilled air that met my body and quickly moved my hands to cover my most intimate parts. My gaze lowered to the floor, and I was positive I was redder than any apple in Rome.

Edoard did not speak. He did not laugh. He did not move. Why wasn't he doing anything? Something must be wrong with me.

The silence weighed heavily on me until I finally stole a glance up at Edoard. His eyes, glinting in the minimal light of the room were fixed on my body. The look on his face very similar to the way a predator stares at its prey. His body jerked as his eyes met mine, as if he was just realizing that I was looking at him. His face softened and his eyes smiled as they stared into my own self conscious ones.

His hands found my arms and pulled them away from my body, leaving me completely exposed in front of him. I tried to look away, though his hand held my face in its grip, refusing to let me turn.

"My beautiful Bella, you are _perfect_. The goddess Venus cannot compare to your beauty," he murmured to me and I blushed once again at the compliment. Surely this man had some sort of blindness? I was not like Rosalia, with her gentle beauty, or like my cousins with their exotic features. Edoard's eyebrows pulled together as he stared at me, "You doubt me?" he asked.

I merely shrugged gently, not trusting my voice.

Edoard let out a sigh and surprised me by hoisting me into his arms, one arm under my legs, and one under my arms. I let out a squeak as he walked over to my bed, my weight having absolutely no effect on him. Without speaking a word he laid me in the middle of the bed and set to work on removing the sandals from my feet, then proceeding to do the same with his own.

I watched him intently, my breathing staggered and heavy. The feeling in my stomach was nothing like fright. It was excitement and anxiousness to touch Edoard again.

Once his sandals were off, Edoard moved onto my bed so that he was lying on his side next to my body. I tried to only look at his face, hoping my nervousness would fade away.

"Since you do not believe my words, I will show you with my actions," he said to me with the hint of a smirk on his face. My eyes widened at his statement then he proceeded to run his fingers down the length of my cheek, over my lips and down my neck, pausing at my collar bone. With a last look he dipped his head down and followed the path his fingers had just taken with his lips.

Soft, hot kisses were dropped down my neck, light nips from his teeth set my body on fire. Finally his lips came to my collar bone, sweeping from one side to the other, nipping gently at the skin. A gasp was brought out of me as one of his hands rested upon my breast, squeezing the warm flesh with his calloused palm. His fingers pulled and tweaked at me nipple and another sharp noise bubbled from my lips. The sensations rocketed through my body as he continued his ministrations.

"Perfection," he whispered into my chest right before his lips closed around my other nipple. This time a loud moan left my lips as his blazing tongue swirled around the hard peak. Shooting spires of pleasure surged toward my center which was now aching with want.

Nothing in the world could ever compare to this feeling. It was absolute perfection, just as Edoard had said.

He moved his lips to my other peak, his hands switching so that he could lavish the same amount of attention to each breast. A squeak crossed my lips as he tugged on the nipple gently with his teeth. I felt as if I was about to explode.

"Please," I spoke softly into the air, although I had absolutely no idea what I was asking for. Edoard pulled away from my breasts and I immediately felt alone without his contact, however, he brought his lips straight to my own, moaning quietly into my mouth.

"Your taste is incredible, I have decided that you are my favorite food," he murmured to me with a small smirk and I could not help but giggle at his statement. His lips were hard and demanding against my own this time, dominating every part of me as his tongue pushed against my own, letting me know that I stood no chance against him. It sent a thrill down my spine.

Unconsciously I reached my hands down and grabbed the hem of his tunic, pulling it up towards his head. Edoard pulled back and looked into my face.

"Are you positive this is what you want, Bella?" he asked me quietly, the amount of unconditionally caring in his voice silenced any fears that I might possibly be feeling.

"I've never been more positive of anything," I said to him with a small smile, watching his face lighting up. With a brief kiss to my lips he then sat up and pulled his tunic off of his body, leaving him only in his under cloth. I averted my eyes for a moment as I heard the rustling of clothing and then felt Edoard's bare body nestle itself between my legs, his chest hovering above mine.

I looked back into his eyes and saw nothing but adoration. I was positive that my own held curiosity. Yes, I had seen naked men. Slaves and other sorts, but I was positive that Edoard would look nothing like them.

"You can look at me, Bella. I _want _you to look at me," he murmured and I let my eyes drift downward. His neck led into the broad shoulders I had admired from far away. My hands found his skin quickly and I shivered as I felt the muscles of his back underneath my fingers. The feeling was exquisite. My eyes continued their path with my hands in close company, running along the taut planes of his chest and abdomen. The muscles were well chiseled from harsh training.

A tremor flew through Edoard's body as my nails gently scraped along his skin. Finally my eyes rested on his manhood and they widened indefinitely. _How_ _was that supposed to fit inside of me?_

Edoard's beautiful laugh rang out around the room as my eyes flashed to his face that was filled with mirth.

"I will be gentle, I promise, Bella," he chuckled and I blushed, assuming I had spoken out loud. Edoard must have felt the heat coming off of my face and he laughed again, the movement made his manhood come into contact with my center and a loud moan left my lips at the feeling. Edoard hissed as his hips pressed into my own which bucked up trying to receive more of the delicious friction.

"Please, Edoard. I need you," I whimpered and Edoard hissed again as he crashed his lips onto mine.

"Anything for you, my Bella," he replied, panting as one of his hands swiftly made its way down my body, resting just above my center. Without warning his fingers swept along my heat and I cried out as my hips jumped towards his hand. It felt as though I had been shocked with pure pleasure.

"You're so responsive to my touch. So ready for me," he muttered in a strained voice as his lips attacked my neck. Sucking, kissing, and biting the flesh there as he continued to play my body like an instrument. His fingers caressed the skin of my womanhood, and I moaned as one of his fingers moved over a particularly sensitive spot that sent bolts of pleasure zinging through my body.

"You, Edoard. I need you," I whispered as his fingers became more insistent. He moaned against my neck and lifted his hand from my hot center, murmuring soft words to me that I couldn't quite understand. I could only whimper with the burning need I now felt to be consumed completely by Edoard.

Edoard suddenly stilled, and I felt the tip of his manhood pressing against my folds. I squirmed underneath his hard body, opening my eyes to find him gazing at me. For a long moment we remained still, staring into each other's eyes.

We knew this was only for tonight. We knew we could never have his again, but we also knew that we would never forget what was about to happen.

"It's yours, Bella," he murmured to me in his smooth voice that was only strained with the effort of holding completely still. I was speechless, and before I could form words, Edoard pushed inside of me, sheathing himself completely. Edoard moaned loudly as I groaned in a very un-lady like way as the feeling of being filled overwhelmed me. A sharp pinch of pain radiated out from my center, however it subsided quickly as Edoard began to move within me.

The friction our bodies created was nothing less than incredible. His breath mingled with my own as we cried out into each other's skin. My hands ran down the planes of his perfectly sculpted back, the delicious feeling inside of me added to the raging inferno my body felt. One of his rough hands ran down the length of my body until his fingers rested above the place where we were joined. Skillfully they rubbed against a spot that made blinding pleasure course through my body.

"Oh! Oh, Edoard!" I breathed out, panting for breath.

"My Bella, only mine," he whispered into the skin of my breast, his mouth latching onto my breast.

"Edoard!" I moaned loudly at the many sensations all building inside of me. I felt as though I would explode.

"Feel the pleasure I am giving you, Bella. Let go," he groaned against me, as I let out a keening sound, feeling everything in my body tighten, then simultaneously release. Waves of pleasure bounced off of me, rolling through my body as I pulsed and quivered, relishing the feeling of Edoard's heavy weight upon my body.

Finally the waves dimmed down again and I opened my tired eyes to find Edoard's head resting on my chest, his own breathing was rapid. In a natural movement my hands went to his hair, weaving my fingers through the strands. His contented sigh made a smile grace my lips.

My nakedness no longer bothered me as Edoard pulled his manhood out of me with a mutual groan. Without speaking he moved to lie next to me and pulled my sweating body against his own. I could not help but feel complete in that very moment. Lying in Edoard's arms felt right.

I traced patterns on Edoard's chest while his hands rubbed soothing patterns into the skin of my back.

The unsettling feeling that we could not have this again began to gnaw at my happiness. I opened my mouth to ask what may happen between us now, however those words did not pass through my lips.

"How did you come to be a gladiator?" I asked, surprising even myself with my words, "Oh, that was awful. You do not need to answer that question. I don't know what I was thinking," I stammered, hiding my hot face in Edoard's chest. Edoard's tense body relaxed a bit and he sighed.

"Beautiful things should not be tainted by horror stories. Your heart is one of them," he replied softly, although there was now an edge in his voice. I nodded against his skin and could feel sleep begin to take hold of my body. I clutched at Edoard's body, and he seemed to understand, pulling me as tight as he could to his chest. A gentle kiss was laid in my hair and I sighed happily.

"Sleep, my Bella," Edoard whispered to me, kissing my temple once before I was consumed by unconsciousness.

x-X-x

I woke with a shiver. My eyes opened in my empty room that was now flooded with sunlight.

I was alone.

Completely, and utterly alone.

I shivered again as I sat up, my blankets falling to my lap. The muscles in my body ached, but it was not entirely unpleasant however, the stinging of bitter tears in my eyes told a different story. I knew that Edoard had to leave, but I had thought that maybe he would say goodbye.

Foolish for a girl to think that way, especially about a criminal she had willingly given her virtue too.

I did not regret any of it though. Not one moment last night was something I wanted to regret. I had given myself so completely to Edoard and in return, if only for a night, I owned him as well. Those thoughts did not stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks as I rose from my bed.

For a brief moment I looked down at the bed and gasped at the stains of my blood on the sheets. I was truly impure now. The tears continued to flow as I stripped the sheets from my bed, calling upon the pretty, blonde maid from before to draw me a bath. As I settled into the water I watched as she picked up the sheets, her eyes widening at the stains. My eyes implored her to keep my secret, and as if in understanding, she nodded once.

I tried to relax my body in the warm water, thinking back on the past events. Edoard was everything a woman could possibly want in a lover. A lover, not a husband, because a criminal would certainly make a terribly husband.

The way his touch had ignited a flame inside of my soul was something I had never come across. The way he had filled me was nothing short of absolute completion. He owned me entirely.

The realization hit me and I drew in a sharp breath, the tears springing to my eyes once again.

I could never give myself to another man and live the charade of a happy wife. I belonged to Edoard, body, mind and soul, but did he feel the same way?

My thoughts were too much for me to handle, and without another thought I leapt out of the bath as the maid returned to me room. I did not acknowledge her as I quickly put on a clean, white stola and ran my fingers through my damp hair. My sandals were still on the flood where Edoard had placed them after removing them and I put them on my feet quickly, hastily making my exit.

Thankfully my father was nowhere to be found as I raced through the atrium and out the door. It must be noon, for the sun was high and hot, and the dust was unsettled from the amount of people that had passed on the road. I did not care if I did not look like a lady, I ran as fast as my clumsy legs would allow me towards Delos' house.

I needed a confidant, and Rosalia was just the person.

I walked briskly into Delos' house without any invitation, his servants pausing only momentarily until they realized it was me. I stopped a young boy carrying a basket of fruit.

"Where is the Lady of the house?" I asked breathlessly.

"She is relaxing in the gardens, Miss Isabella," the boy replied with a small bow and I nodded, thanking him before I continued quickly towards the gardens. I should have guessed she would be there, she had designed them herself.

Exotic plants climbed along the walls as a large pool with fish swimming inside of it. The hundreds of flowers gave the air a delicate and intricate perfume that was dizzying at sometimes. Rosalia came here to think.

As I entered the gardens I spotted her lying on a chaise next to the clear water of the pool, her fingers dancing over the surface while her eyes remained closed, a frown adorning her lips.

"Rosalia?" I called to her quietly. Her eyes snapped open in surprise as she spied me.

"Isabella? What are you doing here?" she asked me, not unpleasantly, just surprised.

I let out a sigh and came to a halt next to her chaise. She sat up, pulling her legs in so that there was room for me to sit.

"I needed someone to speak too," I muttered as I fiddled with my fingers.

"What is wrong? Did something happen with Edoard?" she asked, skeptically.

"I suppose you could say that… I lost my virtue with him last night," I replied in a rushed voice, and was met with the glaring silence around us.

"You… you lost your virtue? Isabella! Do you realize what you've done? You are betrothed to the Emperor! What if his seed has been planted inside of you? What will you do then? I cannot believe this!" Rosalia's face turned dark with anger at me. All of her questions hitting me like a slap in the face.

"Stop! Rosalia! I do not know what I will do, but I know that I don't regret any part of last night," I hissed at her, unbelieving that she was not being more comforting.

"Isabella, this is not a game! This is not some silly fantasy, this is _life. _You cannot just throw things away as you have done with your virtue!" she glared at me, her voice rising.

"I understand it is not a game," I began, but she quickly cut me off.

"No, Isabella. I don't think you do understand. You cannot be involved with that man. He is a criminal and he is dangerous. If your father knew about this, you would be locked away in your room until the wedding! I can't believe how reckless you have been!" her icy voice snapped at me and I closed my eyes.

Why didn't she understand? Why couldn't she see that it didn't matter to me? I didn't want my uncle. I didn't want anyone except for Edoard.

"You must forget about that man. He holds no place in your life. Besides, he will be dead within the month," she said harshly and the breath left my lungs.

_No! _He can't die! He cannot leave me!

"How can you say these things, Rosalia?" I whispered brokenly. I had thought her a friend, however her icy gaze did not look like that of a friend. Instead of answering my question she spoke coldly.

"Perhaps a whore like yourself deserves a man as awful as your Uncle," she said and I reeled backwards as if I had been physically hit. I didn't realize I had stood up until my head spun with the vertigo. I looked at Rosalia's normally beautiful face that had turned quite ugly with some kind of emotion I couldn't quite place.

My mouth opened to reply, but I realized I could not say anything to make this situation better. Instead I turned and walked out of the house with tears shining in my eyes. I refused to let them fall. I would not cry any longer.

I would not cry over the cruel words Rosalia had spoken. Had she actually been my friend she never would have said those things. I would not cry for life I could not have with Edoard. I knew that I could only have him for one night, and I must now deal with the consequences. And I certainly would not cry over my betrothal to my Uncle. My life was set in its course and no amount of tears would change it.

I needed to grow up. I needed to realize that my life would not be what I wanted it to be.

And yet the burning feeling inside of my chest would not go away.

Something had to be done.

Something was going to happen.

The only question was _when?_

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><p><em>AN: Well thennn… Bella and Edoard had some sexy times and Rosalia is kinda a bitch right now, :/ sucks. BUT! It's not over yet! And I'm sorry that this was kinda a short chapter, but I've been a bit busy and I decided just to get this done so that you have something to hold you over until I can write another long ass chapter :) See? I do care. Okay… Soo, click the little review button and let me know what yah thought :) Thanks for reading!  
>~Artemis Psyche<em>


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters. I own my plot and my own characters. I am also NOT an expert historian. I doubt my story is perfect, but I enjoy the subject and I try my hardest to make sure it is as accurate as possible.

****_A/N: Hello there *grins stupidly*. I first want to thank all of the people who left a review and to everyone who put this story on their alerts/favorites. It means a lot to know that people are enjoying my story! Second I want to send MUCHO thanks to my new Beta **Messenger Iris **who helped polish this baby up! Alright, so we last left Isabella being told of by Rosalia... tsk tsk... Girls can be mean! Let's see where her thoughts take her ;) *dims the lights and reclines in chair* _

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><p><strong>4<strong>

_Perhaps a whore like yourself deserves a man as awful as your Uncle…_

_ A whore like yourself…_

_ Whore…_

I was not a whore. Something so perfect as being with Edoard could not be wrong. Giving in to the sensations that Edoard had drawn out of me had not made me something so disgusting. I had never been with another man. I had never teased or flaunted any part of me for another man in my entire life.

How could Rosalia have been so cruel? Was she not the one who told me to go and speak with Edoard last night? Was she not the one who pointed out that Edoard had been staring at me? She was the one who encouraged me… though I did not object. Should I have? Was I regretting everything?

No! I could never regret anything as intimate and soul-baring as being with Edoard; that much was certain.

Unshed tears stung at the corner of my eyes.

"I will not cry. I will not cry," I muttered under my breath as I stared at the dusty ground.

I did not wish to go home. I could not stay in my room all day. Not when every time I looked at the bed the images of last night played through my head with such stunning quality. Not when I could still imagine his silken voice in the entry way.

The merchants had calmed down some in the Forum since it was the hottest part of the day. Not many noble men and women made trips during this time, instead sending their slaves to buy their necessities.

"Might I interest you anything, Miss?" one merchant called out, however I ignored him with ease. My thoughts were certainly enough to keep me preoccupied. What was I to do?

Wait. Perhaps I could… No…

Would I be able to speak with Edoard again?

Surely the guards would prevent me from entering…

Although, would they dare to refuse the Emperor's betrothed?

The smallest seed of hope nestled itself in my breast as my breathing came a little faster. I would need a plan; a well developed plan to ensure that I would not be caught by my Uncle, or my father. Oh, Gods! What would I say? How could I possibly look upon Edoard's face and not tell him of my true feelings for him? How could I not reveal that he had captured my heart so quickly?

Alright… that was a bad idea.

I sighed and uncharacteristically kicked at the ground in a childish manner. Quickly I looked around to make sure no one had seen me. Thankfully, there was no one around. Everyone had gone indoors to avoid the heat and customers no longer littered the Forum.

There would be no one to see me slip into the Subura… no one to see me go into the Ludus Magnus.

Without even realizing it my feet began to move, rushing me into the streets I had been rescued from only yesterday. Goodness, had it only been a day? It certainly felt like a lifetime ago.

My heart beat in my ears and I kept a sharp eye as I made my way towards the towering coliseum. The Ludus Magnus was built on the Eastern side of the arena and held the barracks for the gladiators as well as a practice arena.

My eyes wandered down the nearly empty street. Only a few small children in tattered clothing ran along the side of it until they turned into a darkened alley way. My body shivered as I remembered my own experience in those alley ways. If something happened this time there would be no Edoard or Emidio to save me…

I pressed forward, not letting my thoughts deter me, almost running towards my destination. The excitement built within me at the thought of speaking with Edoard again.

Finally I came upon the coliseum and saw a smaller building off to the left of it. Using long strides I walked over to it and came upon a large archway. Two guards stood in the middle of it and they looked at me with scrutiny.

"Please let me pass, it is very important that I speak with one of the gladiators," I stated in a voice that was breathless, but much stronger than I had expected it to be. The two guards exchanged a look and then began to laugh loudly. Anger coursed through my veins at their raucous display. Certainly they could have been a bit more polite!

"I think you are in the wrong part of Rome, young Miss. Run along now." The guard on the left barked out another laugh as I arched a brow at him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"No, I am most certainly not in the wrong part of Rome. I am Isabella Volturi, betrothed of our great Emperor Aro Volturi. Now step aside and let me through; I am here on urgent matters concerning one of the gladiators," I explained to him steadily, irritation clear in my voice. The guards stuttered at my introduction and scrambled to make amends.

"Oh, pardon me, Miss. I didn't know it was you… erm… You may enter, however only for a brief period. The gladiators are in the middle of training," the same guard amended. I nodded, satisfied with his answer as he led me into the Ludus Magnus. The tunnel we passed through was dark, however at the end I could clearly see a large group of shirtless men standing in a large, sun filled arena.

As we drew closer I could hear shouting, jeering, and the distinct sound of swords clashing. The guard finally reached the crowd and the men closest to us ceased all noise. Eyes quickly turned in our direction as the guard created a path through the gladiators towards the fighters.

In the middle of their circle were two dueling gladiators and three men who were wearing dark green tunics, standing and watching them appraisingly. One of them noticed our arrival, quickly informing the other two in a hushed voice. The man in the middle who seemed to be just as fit as the gladiators raised his hands.

"Cease! It seems we have a visitor…" he commanded with a slightly distasteful tone. Some of the gladiators laughed at his voice. The two gladiators stopped their fight as the three men walked towards the guard and myself. The confident way that they held themselves made me much more nervous than before. As a result I brought my chin up and my shoulders back. My eyebrows arched at them, daring them to dismiss me the way I knew they wanted too.

"I thought I made it clear to you that no civilians were allowed in here, Gallus!" the man in the middle hissed angrily at the guard, casting me a glare. My temper flared again, but I managed to keep my mouth pressed into a tight line. If only he knew who he was speaking about!

"Y-yes, Aetius, you made it very clear. However, this young woman has very important business to attend to," the man I now knew to be Gallus managed to stutter, moving backwards and out of the range of Aetius's glare. Aetius looked at me, a grim smile on his lips.

"What _important business_ might that be?" he asked wryly. I drew in a deep breath stared him straight in the eye.

"My name is Isabella Volturi. I am here to speak with one of your gladiators, Edoard Marcellus on behalf of my Uncle, the Emperor of Rome. It is a matter of great urgency. Now, you will let me speak with him?" I asked, my voice growing stronger with each word. My face must have seemed much more frightening than my sweating palms would let on, for the man, Aetius, now looked as if he was about to be sick.

"I'm truly sorry, Miss Isabella, but we are in the middle of a training session," he tried to back pedal.

"I do not care. What I have to say involves the Emperor himself!" I hissed back to him sharply.

The practice arena was silent. No one said a word. No one moved. Everyone held their breath to see what Aetius would say. For a moment he looked at the other two men with him. Apparently neither of them knew what to do, staring back at him with blank expressions.

Aetius finally shook his head slightly, "I will give you time to speak with him, however if his name is called for a duel you cannot hold him. His training is crucial," Aetius sighed in defeat. Triumph swelled through me and then, just as quickly, it was replaced with dread.

I hadn't thought of what I was going to say to him! Why had I come? Oh Gods! This was a mistake!

I barely heard Aetius call out Edoard's name loudly as I rambled inside of my head. The only thing that pulled me out of my thoughts was the sight of Edoard emerging from the crowd of men. His muscular torso was once again covered by an ugly brown tunic, and his hair was covered with dust. His spring colored eyes penetrated mine and I could not decide which emotion was more prominent… anger, or confusion.

Without speaking, Gallus led us away from the practice ring and led us down the darkened hallway I had entered through. Instead, he took a left and led us down a new corridor and into a room that appeared to be a sleeping room. There were two bunks pushed against the wall with rough wool blankets strewn on top of them.

"I will call you when he is required to return," Gallus said quietly as he started to leave the room. I smiled softly at him and nodded in thanks. It seems he wasn't so bad after all.

Gallus finally left and we listened as his footsteps receded out of hearing range. Before I could utter a single word, Edoard's flashing eyes and sharp voice pierced the air.

"What were you thinking? Don't you know how foolish it was to come here alone? Why did you come here, Bella? Why?" he hissed at me. I stared at him incredulously, blood boiling in my veins.

"How dare you!" I glared at him, my eyes flashing dangerously. Edoard seemed a bit taken aback by my statement and opened his mouth to retaliate, but I gave him no chance. "I am not a child! I will make my own decisions about where I want to go and what I want to do! Do _not _call me foolish!" I seethed.

My chest heaved as anger pulsed through my body. I was tired of being berated for making my own decisions. Rosalia had been the one to push me towards Edoard, yet she had been the one to scold me for acting on my feelings. Edoard was the one for showing me a world of pleasure, that I had _thought _he had enjoyed himself, and now he was irate that I had come to see him.

"Bella, it is dangerous here. Even in the daytime, and you _know _that. Are you trying to make it a habit of gallivanting off to places that could harm you? What if something happened to you and I was not there to help?" he growled at me, his green eyes glinting even in the dim light.

"I can take care of myself!" I glared at him.

He laughed humorlessly, "Oh, right. So you could've taken care of yourself when two drunkards were attacking you? You could've saved yourself when they were both about to _rape _you?" His questions were cold and harsh, stinging at my heart like the crack of a whip.

Despite the anger I felt, I still flinched at his words and cast my eyes down to the floor. He was right… I could tell everyone that I could protect myself, but I knew it was not true. Even Edoard thought I was foolish. I was daft to think that he would have wanted to see me. He had satiated his carnal desires. There was no need for me anymore.

"Bella?" Edoard's voice was significantly softer now and held a hint of concern. I did not dare look into his eyes. I knew that they would be filled with regret. "Bella, look at me, please?"

Perhaps it was how pleading his voice sounded, but I could not help but look up at his face. I was positive that my eyes shone with bitter tears, for his features softened and he took a step towards me. I flinched, not knowing if he was about to throw me out of the room.

Edoard paused before a look of determination crossed his features, and he drew closer. He cradled my face in his palms, looking deeply into my eyes.

"You understand that I'm only concerned for your wellbeing? The Subura is not a place to run around, even in the day time. You should be home, where you are safe. I only want you to be safe," he spoke softly. For a moment I believed his words.

"I do not want to be home. I do not want to be anywhere near that place or with my family," I muttered looking back down at the floor.

"So you came here? To do what, Bella?" he asked quietly, with genuine curiosity.

"I… I came…" the words stuck in my throat. They now sounded silly to me, and I did not want to voice them out loud.

"Why did you come?" Edoard whispered again and I sighed looking back into his eyes.

"I came to see you. To talk with you and wonder if you felt the same as I did about last night," I murmured quietly. Edoard's eyes shimmered as a small smile flitted across his face.

"Last night was the most perfect experience of my existence. I can only hope I pleased you as much as you pleased me," he breathed, smiling at me. A blush spread across my face as I remembered just how well he had pleased me. Edoard seemed to read my thoughts and let out a laugh.

"My little Bella," he chuckled as he released my face. I bit my lip to keep from laughing as well. It grew quiet between us and I let my eyes fall to the ground.

"What will happen now? I cannot forget last night. I cannot accept my fate anymore. It is not right to pretend to be devoted to another who does not evoke any passion from me," I murmured as my eyebrows furrowed.

Edoard's fingers lifted my chin up, forcing me to look into his face. He was so handsome. A bead of sweat ran down his temple towards his sharp jaw. The urge to kiss him overwhelmed me. I wanted to feel the blazing heat when his lips pressed against mine and his tongue touched my own.

"Bella," his voice made my name sound like a blessing. His breath washed over me and my eyes fluttered closed on their own accord as his face drew closer to my own.

His lips were hot as they pressed demandingly against my own. This was not a soft or sweet kiss, this kiss was passionate and needy and made my body burst into flames. All of the anger at the world that would not let us be together was put into our kiss.

Edoard wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me in tightly against him as his tongue swept along my bottom lip, pleading for entrance. I could deny him nothing.

My own mouth opened as our tongues collided, tangling together and fighting for dominance. His victory was predicted and he began to explore my mouth in further detail.

The sound of loud footsteps approaching tore us apart abruptly. Edoard wrenched himself from my body, leaving me panting and trying in vain to calm myself. Edoard was now a few feet from me, looking at my face with a small smile on his lips. Gallus arrived at the door and I turned my gaze on him.

"He is the next to compete," Gallus stated simply. I nodded.

"Thank you, I have one more thing I must tell him, but then I shall send him out," I said, trying to conceal my slightly breathless tone. Gallus nodded, looking a bit suspicious, but left us once again.

"Bella, this will not be easy," Edoard murmured to me quietly. When I turned to look at him, he appeared to be distressed.

"I know." I did not elaborate. There was no need to.

We both understood now that this would not be an easy road to traverse. We would not be given anything for our hard work. There would be times of doubt.

"My brave little Bella," Edoard smiled softly as he walked forward and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. The tenderness of it made my heart ache.

"I will come back. Tomorrow, I will come back," I whispered, but paused when I felt Edoard shake his head. "Why not?"

Edoard did not answer. I pulled back a bit to get a look at his face. He avoided my eye contact, opting to look at the wall instead.

"Why, Edoard?" I pressed, a frown on my lips. Edoard looked back at me, his face softening as he sighed.

"I do not want you to see me after today's training. I will not be… I will not be in such good condition," he muttered bitterly. I could not contain the small gasp that left my lips. I could barely contain the thought of Edoard being hurt mercilessly.

"Do not be concerned, it is another thing that I must live with. It cannot be helped," Edoard said to me, trying to make light of the conversation. I knew he was right, but that did not stop me from hating the idea of someone hurting him.

"I must go now," Edoard said finally and I nodded in both agreement and defeat. Once again he leaned down and softly pressed his lips against mine. Only once, then he whispered, "It is yours."

"What is mine, Edoard?" I asked quietly, however he only brushed past me with a gentle touch to my hand.

I turned and tried to follow him, but became aware that Gallus was watching us from the other end of the hall. I composed my distressed face as I drew closer.

"Thank you, Miss Isabella for telling me of the Emperors regards," Edoard said flawlessly, giving me a slight bow. I nodded in return, not trusting my voice to supply an answer for him.

I watched as he turned without another look and walked back towards the practice arena where he was swallowed back up by the crowd of men.

"Miss? Would you like an escort back to your home?" Gallus asked me. I shook my head and turned on my heel, fleeing from the Ludus Magnus.

I should have been crying. I should have been angry. I should have been disappointed. However the only thing I could feel was absolute happiness with the idea that I had just seen Edoard. I had just spoken with Edoard… I had just _kissed _Edoard!

A smile touched my lips as I walked back through the streets to the Forum. My stomach growled as I noticed it was well past lunch and I had not eaten anything today. I was given no trouble as I passed from the Subura into the Forum, and continued to my home without speaking to a single person.

When I entered my home I did not expect to see anyone. I froze when I saw not only my father, but my Uncle as well.

The both of them looked up upon my arrival, mixed looks of disappointment and irritation floated on their features.

"Uncle, what a surprise," I said, masking how caught off guard I truly was.

"Indeed, I came to your father with the intention of having lunch with the both of you. Only to find that you were not here, and nobody could tell us of your whereabouts," he explained, a menacing glint lighting his eyes.

I swallowed thickly, unsure of whether or not he wished for me to speak.

"Where have you been, Isabella?" my Uncle demanded harshly. I flinched at his tone and tried to think of a substantial answer.

"I went to visit Rosalia," I managed to mutter.

"Then how is it Rosalia also came over asking where you had gone?" my Uncle continued, advancing on me. I stepped backwards in hopes that I would avoid his wrath.

"I… I left and went for a walk through the Forum. I had personal business to attend to," I replied a bit defiantly. My Uncle's scowl deepened as he stared at me.

"You do not go anywhere without informing your father of your location! Is that _clear? _I will not have the future Empress of Rome off running wild through the streets!" he shouted loudly as he gave me a menacing look.

I stared back at him, cowering in on myself. It was one matter standing up to Edoard when I knew that he would never hurt me. I could not stand up to my Uncle since I could not begin to fathom the types of abuse he was capable of.

"Yes, Uncle," I agreed quietly.

My Uncle seemed pleased with my broken state and straightened himself out.

"We only want the best for you, my dear," he said to me, seemingly endearing, however his eyes still held the dangerous spark inside of them.

My Uncle was not a man to be trusted. He was dangerous. And I was betrothed to him…

x-X-x

That night in my room, I prepared for bed with the help of the blonde haired maid.

As she began to brush out my hair I spoke aloud.

"What is your name?" I asked. I genuinely did not know who the girl was. She seemed startled that I would ask her such a thing and she looked at me with wide eyes. I smiled softly, which seemed to relax her a bit.

"Gessica," she said quietly. I nodded.

"Did your mother teach you how to braid your hair?" I asked suddenly. Again, Gessica looked confused as to why we were having such a strange conversation, but she shook her head anyway.

Her answer confused me, "Oh… Then who did?"

"My grandmother; both of my parents died when I was just a child," she replied in a small voice. I immediately regretted every time I had been irritated at her for no better reason than my jealousy. This girl had lost her parents as only a child, and I had been petty enough to dislike her for knowing how to braid my hair while I did not.

"I'm very sorry. I lost my mother when I was born," I murmured. I didn't know why I had said that. Perhaps I wished to save the girl from embarrassment.

"I remember hearing about it. My grandmother worked here before my parents died. She knew your mother when she had first met your father. She said that she was beautiful," Gessica smiled to me kindly.

"Her name was Elena… My father tells me I look exactly like her… Only her eyes were blue like the sea. I always used to pray to the Gods for my mother to return… then I grew older and realized that the Gods cannot help everything," I muttered bitterly. I saw Gessica frown slightly in the mirror.

"I don't think that's true. The Gods cannot stop death. And if they did, how would they choose who may live and who may die? The Gods give us prosperity, life, and such wonderful gifts that we would not be the same without. It is sad that we have lost those we love, but we must remember what else we are given. We must never lose faith in the Gods. They work in mysterious ways, but whatever decisions they make, they make them for us to better ourselves by them," Gessica said with conviction.

I could not help but stare at her reflection. She was right. Despite the fact she had every right to be angry with the Gods for taking her parents away from her, she was still faithful to them for everything else. She must have noticed how I had been deep in thought as she patted my shoulder.

"Everything happens for a reason, even if we do not know it," she smiled to me. The smile I gave back to her was small, but it was enough to form a bit of hope.

I rose from the vanity and Gessica turned down the blankets as I climbed under them. The fresh sheets only made me remember just what had happened the night before.

"I promise I will not tell anyone of you and the gladiator, Miss," Gessica whispered to me, averting her eyes as I stared at her, alarmed.

"Thank you, Gessica," I whispered back to her in the dark room. She nodded once and then bid me goodnight, leaving me alone in the room.

I lay on my back in the middle of the bed. My hands ran along the clean sheets. I tried to bring back the memory of Edoard's smell however the scent of soap was too strong and I could not remember clearly. As I closed my eyes, I only saw Edoard's eyes looking into mine, murmuring my name as he claimed me as his.

I was his. There was no denying it. I was unequivocally his. I always would be his.

And while this admittance should have frightened me, it did not. I felt as if I had somewhere I belonged. Someone I belonged to.

No matter what lay ahead, I could not be without Edoard.

The Gods had something planned for us.

I was absolutely sure of it.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Yeah... It was another shorty, and I promise they will start getting longer as the story picks up, but what did you think? Do we still all love Gladiatorward? Any thoughts on Gessica? What do you think Isabella will do about her Uncle? I'd love to hear from you all! Thanks for reading!  
>~Artemis Psyche <em>


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